βooк Thяєє: βlossomραω's єscαρє
by BrizaMarii
Summary: Blossompaw was taken from the Ravenclan camp by twolegs when she was barley made an apprentice. No one ever knew what became of her, but now her story will be revealed. She was taken to an animal testing facility. Her one goal was too escape. The question is, what happens if she gets out, and can she cope with the side affects?
1. Chapter 1

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part One: The Capture**

The monster rumbled to life with a vicious snarl. The smell of exhaust and smoke like fumes filled the air as it jolted onto the thunder path with several bumps and groans. The screeching of other monsters could be heard even through the belly of this one. Blossompaw began to whimper like a lost kit, her voice shrill and echoing through the hollow space.

The annoyed voices of twolegs reached her ears. Their bickering tones grew snappish and she cracked open an eye to watch them. They kept gesturing at her as she continued to wail. Eventually one of them leaned back around on the seat he was it and reached for her cage.

Blossompaw rolled backwards into the far corner in fear, her mewls grew louder and more frantic and the twoleg shook her cage violently, making her head become dizzy and confused. The twoleg threw her cage back down and it clattered to the floor at and awkward angle. Blossompaw knew to hold her tongue.

She glanced around with wide set blue eyes, taking in everything without fully understanding anything. There were other cages sloppily spewed about and stacked in the monster. And there were other animals trapped inside. Blossompaw tried to scream again but found it was stuck in her throat, she trashed around wildly but her muscles strained her not to.

"Adderfang!" she screeched out her father's name. "Save me!"

Her cry for help earned her cage another jostle from one of the twolegs. She lay down with her head on her paws and her ears flat against her skull. She watched the twolegs intently. There were three of them, two were sitting at the front of the monster and one was sitting in the back with the cages. He was the one who kept shaking her cage to get her to shut up. She felt a growl form in the back of her throat but she forced it down.

There was only one female towleg out of the group; she was sitting in the front of the monster. Every once in a while she would glance up at a thing hanging from the roof of the monsters stomach. The little rectangle was almost like a puddle, it showed the female twoleg the reflections of what was behind her.

She wore a cruel smile that unnerved Blossompaw. A thought tugged at the back of her mind. _What do the twolegs want from us? _She wondered this as she peered at the other animals in the corner of her vision. Most of them were lying down like her, with eyes tightly closed. She knew every single one of them was praying it was only a dream, and they would wake up back it a den or a nest or wherever they called home.

But this was no dream. It was a nightmare.

* * *

At some point Blossompaw either fell asleep or passed out - she wasn't entirely sure. But when she awoke she was in another cage, this one more spacious, and she was trapped in a twoleg complex. The cage was mounted to a wall, and it was glass so she could see the cage below and above hers. There were also cages on both sides as well. The entire wall seemed to be made of confined animals. On the wall across from her was a door, there were no windows to reassure her the outside world still existed.

Blossompaw sat up straight, her head almost brushed against the roof of the box but not quite. It was exactly three paces long and three paces wide. In the corner were two plastic blue bowls. One had hard pellets in it, the other contained water with a metallic taste to it. There was also a pan with litter and a soft mat for sleeping. She supposed this was the sad life of a kittypet.

But was she a kittypet now? Or was it something worse?

She glanced at the cage to her left, that cage was a fair amount larger than her own - to accommodate a dog a lot bigger than her. The dog was laying on his side with his chin resting on his paws. But he wasn't asleep, his brown eyes were narrow slits. And he was watching her. She awkwardly held the eye contact. She wanted to say something, to speak to him, but she wasn't sure what to say. Maybe something along the lines of _Hey, how's it going? We are probably going to die in here by the way. _

She settled with, "um...dog?"

The dog stirred and grumbled a "yes,"

"Do you, well, know what is happening?" she asked hopefully. Her blue eyes were earnest and her white tail twitched while awaiting the answer.

"No, and if I did know what's going on why would I tell a cat?" he muttered in a heavy accent, he wasn't from around the forest. Blossompaw chose to ignore his rude comment on her being a cat.

"Well you must know something!" she exclaimed with a huff.

"How do you figure that?"

"Because you're hiding something, I can tell. You won't make eye contact, you are barely facing me," she read his features proudly. The old dog rose to his paws and faced her squarely. She realized with a start he was blind in one eye, it was all fogged up and cloudy.

"Don't stare now," he chided. She quickly looked away, aghast.

"I'm sorry, I just thought...I wanted to think you knew how to get out of here," she apologized. His gaze softened and he let out a long sigh. She took that to mean 'it's okay.'

"My name is Chance," he offered.

"I'm Blossompaw," the apprentice said in return. Just saying her name aloud filled her with some degree of confidence. It reminded her that she was a clan cat - someday she would be a warrior. And to make that happen she would have to find her own way out of here. Her conversation with the dog ended and she settled on the mat for sleep. A new found determination gave her something worth fighting for.

_I should be training with the other apprentices right now. Silverpaw and Shadepaw. Birchpaw and Frogpaw. Even bitter_ Larkpaw. She thought to herself. _Please don't forget me. _She begged silently, a single tear slipped out of the corner of her eye and rolled down her cheek. _I'm still alive, I swear._

* * *

**Here you guys go! The first new and revised chapter to start BE. Consider in a thanksgiving present, cause we are ahead of schedule for my plan of starting in December. Anyways tell me what you think in the comments - any grammar or spelling mistakes or feedback. **

**Man, I missed Chance. I think he might be one of my fav characters in this whole book. I just love old and senile mentor characters. **


	2. Chapter 2

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part One: The Capture**

The clanging of metal and the sound of claws scraping at glass startled Blossompaw awake. Her blue eyes grew large in terror as she saw the three twolegs enter the room. She didn't know what time it was, her sense of time had vanished the instant the door to the windowless room sealed shut. It must have been mid day or sun high if the twolegs were up. Or perhaps they were nocturnal and it was moon high, or maybe they were just monsters who never slept.

All of the other animals were in a panic as the twolegs circled the room. They were like vultures, waiting to pick out their next victim, a piece of prey. They were circling carnivores, ready to strike.

Blossompaw felt herself shrink into the far corner of her cage, trying to make herself as small as possible. It was to no avail, she had caught the female twolegs attention. She walked over to Blossompaw's cage, her stride short and firm. She was sure footed, the type of person who had grim determination. She turned the clamp and the cage door swung open.

Blossompaw flattened her white ears against her skull and let out a low menacing growl which quickly evolved into a sharp hiss. The twolegs hand was creeping into the enclosed space, Blossompaw's back was against the wall. She shot out her paw, claws unsheathed, and swatted the twolegs hand. Her claws made contact with soft skin. It tore delicately underpaw and crimson drops oozed from the wounds.

Before she could strike again the twoleg had Blossompaw in a death grip, her large spindly hand wrapped itself around the apprentices body. Something sharp entered her body, she saw a needle piercing her stomach and her eyes rolled back into her head in unconsciousness.

* * *

She woke up inside another room, it was all cement and gray. In the center of the room was a lake, a square pool of water. Blossompaw had no idea how deep it was, nor did she want to find out. The twoleg was stroking her back. Her long pale fingers scratched Blossompaws neck soothingly. The twoleg lessened her grip on the cat like she was about to release her. Blossompaw hung on out of shear nervousness. A strong smell of chemicals wafted out of the pool and made her eyes water.

The twoleg disentangled Blossompaw from her and dropped her right into the pit of water. Blossompaw hit with a splash and submerged. Her eyes burned and her body stung. She broke the surface quick enough and sucked in a huge gulp of air. Her short legs churned in the water as she swam in circles. She wasn't good at swimming, she was only staying afloat on instinct.

Seaclan cats were strong swimmers, they could fight the tide to catch small fish and bring in muscles. Blossompaw was from Ravenclan, she was good at climbing trees and stalking through undergrowth, those skills would be useless to her here.

Blossompaw paddled laps around the pool, afraid if she stopped swimming she would sink right to the bottom. But she was becoming fatigued, her focus was dimming. It didn't help there was a ticking thing on the wall, every minute or so it would buzz and the twoleg would write something down.

A cramp shot through Blossompaw's leg and she froze. She bobbed for a second before the weight of her water filled fur drug her back under the waters. The cramp spread up her leg and into her stomach, immobilizing her. It hurt to move. She tried to kick towards the surface but gave up and resigned herself to drowning.

_It isn't so bad down here...it's almost serene. Peaceful even. _ The thoughts were lazy and drifted about her mind. Then she couldn't hold her breath any longer, bubbles escaped her lips and her lungs begged for a gulp of air. Blossompaw wouldn't give in. As a kit she had fallen into a creek and breathed in water, the pain was indescribable. The water seemed to go into her brain and she felt her chest collapse.

She assured herself she would not feel that pain again, she would suffocate herself before breathing water, she was a warrior - not a fish.

Something cold and metal scooped Blossompaws limp body out of the water. It was a net with a long pole attached. The female twoleg was staring at her with apparent boredom. Blossompaw opened her mouth one let out a loud gasp as she tried to take in as much air as she could. The twoleg plucked her out of the net and dropped her on a hard table where Blossompaw spluttered for a good five minutes. Eventually she was taken back to her previous cage.

Blossompaw sunk onto the mat, grateful for the small cushion when at first she had dismissed it. Her muscles ached and she was sore all over. Her head was spinning from the oxygen deprivation she had endured. She could hear Chance trying to speak to her, his raspy words filled her ears and made her head hurt more. She couldn't make sense of his muddled words. Why was he speaking so incoherently?

Over time his voice became clearer and she realized he was speaking normally, she was just in shock.

"Are you okay?" he repeated.

"I...I don't know," Blossompaw answered truthfully.

"What did they do to you, you smell like water," Chance asked. Blossompaw felt her legs trembling.

"They tried to kill me," she whispered hoarsely.

"No, if they wanted you dead you would be. They did something worse than simply killing you, they tortured you. And I fear they will do it again," his voice was solemn as he spoke the truth.

"But why..." she was afraid and confused. Why were twolegs so cruel?

"Twolegs have there reasons, even if we do not understand them. Perhaps it is research, animal testing. I used to live with twolegs, the neighborhood dogs spoke of evil places like this,"Chance rasped.

"Then what we must do is simple. We must escape,"

* * *

Blossompaw had promised herself she would be strong and endure whatever tests the twolegs came up with. She told herself they were collecting research on pain, and thus they did not want her dead, only hurting. If she could survive that then she would live.

But she knew there was only so long anyone could survive being tortured. Some animals had already given in to death and snapped, others had died in experiments. Chance had suspicions about what happened to the animals that never returned from the labs, he reluctantly explained his fears to Blossompaw.

"They don't want us dead, you said so yourself," Blossompaw protested as Chance explained the disappearances of several dogs and cats. His eyes were sorrowful.

"Accidents happen, sometimes it is too late to pull someone out of danger,"

"But-" Blossompaw didn't want to believe him. He was right of course, and someday she knew she would join them in death. Perhaps escape was impossible. Perhaps they were already dead. "But what happens to the bodies?" she questioned instead. Back in the clans dead warriors received vigil by the clan and a ceremonious burial so they could be welcomed to Starclan. She doubted the white coats preformed such honored rituals.

"Burned, most likely. Burying them takes too much work. Places like this have furnaces, a room where a contained fire will turn everything to ash,"

"That's monstrous!" Blossompaw cried. Chance didn't dignify her with a response. Everything that had happened since their abduction had been monstrous. Blossompaw's blue eyes narrowed, deep in thought. Their escape would have to be figured out as soon as possible. Chance had spread the message to all of the dogs, and Blossompaw to all the cats. Everyone was thinking their hardest of a plan. They had yet to formulate a single plausible idea.

"We need hope right now, more than a plan for escape," she sighed to herself. Chance let her words sink in.

"Hope is exactly it, instead of waiting for death we need to be inspired for life,"

His words comforted the young apprentice. Chance was clearly wise and ominous at times, despite his snarky attitude. If hope was what they needed they Blossompaw would make sure that was what they got. She settled herself into a comfortable position in her cage, with her paws tucked under her.

"There are many legends of the clans, how they formed, who created them, and how. Most are fabricated tails...but there must of course be one true story," Blossompaw's voice rang out about the room, in a deep and intriguing tone. She immediately caught the attention of all the animals. Chance whispered translations quietly to the dogs as Blossompaw continued the story.

"One legend, one of the oldest, simply tells of how the four founders of Cedarclan, Ravenclan, Seaclan, and Ashclan, met. Raven was a rogue who wandered into the silent forests, mysterious places devoid of life. He found Cedar and his daughter Sea, who had also gotten lost in the silent forests. A cat came to them in a dream, telling them they were brought here to bring life to the forest again. By introducing clans to the area other life would come in the form of prey,"

Blossompaw had rapt attention. All eyes were glued to her, curious about the story she was weaving.

"As the tale goes, the three original clans were formed. But with the three leaders as Seastar Ravenstar and Cedarstar, they had to sever the bond they had formed to focus on their own clans prosperity. Cedarstar cut ties with his daughter, but both were pained by the separation. It had to be done for the good of their clans however. But then Seastar sought solace in Ravenstar, who had fallen in love with her.

Cedarstar was enraged when he found out about this betrayal. Why should he have to sever the bond with his daughter when Ravenstar didn't? The two toms fought in an ugly feud, nearly claiming both of their lives. Seastar knew she had caused this turmoil and she would have to undo it otherwise their new clans would fall. Starclan, the ancestors of the three original clans, sent another cat to the silent forests.

His name was Ash, he was sent to bring peace. But he brought war instead. His ambitions were to claim the forests and the beaches. The war ravaged relentlessly. Eventually all the sides realized it was a loosing battle, they would all perish if peace was no resolved. They agreed to meet on the fortnight to discuss how to handle the situation. Starclan had plans of their own. The starry ancestors realized the leaders would never be able work things out, Ashclan had brought only more trouble. They must be punished along with Seastar Ravenstar and Cedarstar.

A great fire sprang fourth from the earth, vanquishing all of Ashclan in the lava flows. The other three leaders exiled themselves in shame out of the destruction and havoc they had wrought on their beloved clans. The dissipated back into the cities, never to be heard from again," the story ended and silence hung over everyone heads. Hushed murmurs descended int eh ranks of cages.

"What happens to the remaining clans?" one voice demanded.

"Yah! And Sea Raven and Cedar can't just abandon their own clans like that, who will lead them?"

"Tell us!"

Blossompaw blinked at the impact of her story, a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. This was the hope they needed, her clans would give them hope to survive.

"I will tell the next part of the story tomorrow. In the mean time, keep thinking of escape. When we get out of here, I will show you my three clans," Blossompaw promised devoutly. Suddenly the door opened and the excitement that had been almost tangible int eh air vanished like lifting fog. Blossompaw didn't need to look to know the white coats were entering the room. Their feet clacked softly all the way to her cage before stopping.

The female twoleg stared at her intently until the apprentice dropped her gaze. Her vicious eyes seemed to say _You will never escape._

The cage door swung open and Blossompaw was removed and taken from the room, along with several other animals. Their next trials awaited them.


	3. Chapter 3

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part One: The Capture**

"Ashstar, Seastar, Cedarstar, and Ravenstar. Their connections to one another ran deep. Their hatred for one another ran deeper. The first founders of the clans, bitter enemies after shaded betrayals. They were determined to have their clans prosper. After Ashclan perished in the firey eruption, and the other three leaders fled, their deputies took over.

What they never knew was that the deputies had met each other as apprentices, when they were young and naive. A forbidden friendship had been kindled, exactly like the one that had caused Ashclan's destruction. The three deputies were depressed by the death of their fourth friend from Ashclan. The continued to meet in secret to mourn his death, each new moon they went to a mysterious island which only appeared at night during the low tide.

If they were caught, it would truly be the end.

But the powers of the island were strange. It seemed the spirit of their fourth friend lurked there. Smogfoot, as he had been named, could not accept that his clan ahd all died because of the mistakes of their leader. His spirit begged his friends Sandflower, Clearwater, and Blackhawk to rebuild Ashclan. His friends refuse, they tell him they cannot sacrifice parts of their own clans. Ashclan is gone, and nothing can reverse that.

Smogfoot swore Ashclan would rise again, and the other clans would pay for their negligence and arrogance. He cursed the old wounds to fester until the three clans would be driven to the brink of war again, and then they would know his suffering,"

The story once again had the same effect over all of the animals. Their imaginations ran wild with the fantasies of the clans. Each day Blossompaw would continue the legends, rebuilding the hope that had been shattered in the tests before. She was determined they would escape for the next full moon. She could be back in Ravenclan before the other apprentices were made warriors.

"You tell interesting stories, Blossompaw," Chance rasped. Blossompaw smiled at his praise.

"They aren't my stories exactly. There was another apprentice I knew, Silverpaw. She told the most amazing stories. She even got stubborn Larkpaw to listen..." Blossompaw trailed off as an ache of pain pierced her heart. Oh how she missed her clan. She wanted Frogpaw to come up with new games to play, like mossball and sneak. She wanted Shadepaw to talk with her about silly things. She wanted Birchpaw to share another vole with her. She wanted to hear one more of Silverpaw's stories. She even wanted Larkpaw to complain, because that was familiar. That was home.

Chance seemed to understand the pain she was feeling.

"I had a nice home, with twolegs who loved me. They were kind, unlike these ones," that was all Chance said, but it was enough to lessen the heartache. Blossompaw came to a realization then. She had been torn between believing there was hope for freedom, and believing that all was a lost cause. But in between those two things there would always be a chance for something better.

* * *

The female twoleg took a keen interest in Blossompaw. The white furred apprentice wondered if the white coats somehow knew she was instigating an escape plan amongst the animals. Whatever the case, the female twoleg held a special sort of cruelty for Blossompaw. She was determined to break her.

Blossompaw shivered as the twoleg stood before her cage, looking in at her with cold and unfeeling eyes. She muttered something, like a coo, trying to coax Blossompaw forward. The apprentice hissed and swatted at the twolegs hand. It was no use. In a second her scruff was being forcefully yanked from the prison confinements. Chance was snarling and pawing at his cage, trying to stop them from taking Blossompaw.

"Hang on, it will be over soon," Chance growled reassuringly. The other animals offered quips of support as well.

"Today wasn't that bad, they just placed me int eh water tank again," another stray cat explained as he groomed his still damp fur. Blossompaw stiffened as the other cat was shook with a spasm of coughing, there was still water in his lungs.

_It's okay, I can get through this, _she thought to herself calmly. Suddenly the white coat changed direction, instead of heading to the room with the pool of water she took Blossompaw to another sanction, one she had not been to yet.

Her blue eyes narrowed as harsh light hit her face. Orbs of sunlight hung from the ceiling of the room. Cabinets and boxes lined the walls. There was a single operation table made of cold material in the center of the room. Blossomapw was dropped on it unceremoniously. The white coat put on a mask which covered her nose and smiling mouth. She held a needle in her right hand and pinned Blossomapw down with the other. She flicked the needle and a clear liquid oozed out of it.

Blossompaw shut her eyes and waited for the pain. All she felt was a slight prick in her shoulder and then it was over. She carefully opened her eyes and the white coat was picking her up and taking her back to the holding room.

"What was that?" Blossompaw mewed aloud. She was deeply confused. What just happened, what did the twoleg just inject her with? The other animals were concerned as well when they saw Blossompaw back so soon.

"Are you alright?" Chance demanded. His one seeing eye searched her face for signs of trouble.

"I...I think so. Yes, I'm alright," Blossompaw whispered. She turned her head to get a look at her shoulder. There was a single visible drop of blood on her skin form where the needle pierced her. A purple bruise had formed around the spot. Other than that, she was unmarked.

...

Dark creatures were reaching towards her, their curled claws scrapped against her stomach and face. Their teeth dripped poison as the descended upon her. She felt herself screaming, but it was if that was someone else. She felt detached form her body, all she felt was fear and paranoia.

There were voices around her, she couldn't decipher what they were saying. They sounded alarmed.

The monsters surrounded her, they had scales which glistened in the otherwise dark world. Their eyes were blood red and watched her every move. Suddenly the monsters vanished, she was back in her cage and panting as sweat dripped from her body. The other animals were calling her out of the nightmare. But she hadn't been asleep, no she was very much awake.

That was not a dream, rather deliria. Whatever the twolegs did to her she knew this was a side effect. They were making her see things, things that did not exist. They were going to hurt her from the inside, they were going to use her own mind against her.

"What's happening to me?" she wailed. No one answered her, they couldn't answer her. They could only watch as she was pushed closer and closer to the breaking point.


	4. Chapter 4

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part One: The Capture**

_Wake up_

_Eat_

_Sleep_

_Survive_

_Wake up_

_Eat_

_Sleep_

_Survive_

That is all Blossompaw has come to know in the moons of captivity. She lost track of time in its entity, perhaps she has only been in the facility for a few moons. Perhaps a few years, so doesn't know anymore.

All she knows is the routine to survive.

And the side effects.

Whatever the twolegs were doing, whatever their goal is, it had something to do with making the animals sick. Chance suspected they were testing to see how fast disease spread among the animals. A cat called Sylvester assumed the twolegs were trying to find cures for the diseases to help other twolegs. The animals were nothing more than subjects.

But the side effects were bad, worse than anyone could have imagined. There was paranoia, fear, deliria, vomiting, coughing, scratching, death...many had died already. And more would fall ill if they did not escape soon.

"We need a plan, something, anything!" Blossompaw shouted, her fur bristled with anger. How could so many creatures be so dumb? How could they not figure this place out? Each week they smelled the smoke of ashes. They smelled the dead being burned in the furnace. Was that not enough cause for escape!

"It's useless!" Talia barked. She was a small terrier, Chance had begun teaching the other dogs how to speak cat, and vise versa.

"It's only useless if you give up," Blossompaw pointed out. "Our cages have a latch that secures the door closed. It can only be opened form the outside,"

"Yes, so it's useless to try and open them," Talia said with a note of finality. Blossompaw smirked.

"I agree, it is useless to try and open them on our own. But what if they never closed?"

That caught everyone's attention. Sylvester prompted her to explain her thoughts. Chance looked thoughtful as he studied his cage. Talia was reluctantly optimistic. And the others were simply praying this would be it, this would be the end of the cruelty.

"The next time the towlegs take one of us, we need to make sure the hatch on the door doesn't close. When they bring us back from whatever torture they have devised, you must slide a food pellet between between the door and the hatch. It will be small enough they won't notice. Then it will be simple enough to push the door open and jump out. From there we can open other cages form the outside," Blossompaw finished. She waited expectantly as they mulled over the idea.

"It might work," Chance ruffed. "But once we are out of our cages, what next? This place could be a labyrinth we will never find our way out of,"

Blossomapw had no reply. The old dog could be right, he probably was. If they got out of their cages they could still be trapped and everything would have been pointless.

"Do we just sit here and die without trying?" Blossompaw said softly, but her eyes were narrowed dangerously. She felt a passion burning inside her like she had never felt before. "Will we just wait for death? Will we suffer this sickness in silence!" she roared. The animals began to clammer and shout their support. Cats and dogs alike cursed the white coats and vowed their freedom to come. Chance nodded once before settling on his mat.

Blossompaw wondered if that had been his plan, to make her rally the other animals. Chance knew Blossompaw had the most support within the ranks of the others because of her stories. His plan had been to make her prove she was worthy of leading them.

"Tonight, we will escape," she shouted victoriously. Courageous cries filled the air as dogs and cats alike proclaimed their soon to be freedom. Blossompaw was filled with a surge of love for her comrades. Almost unknowingly she had become their friend, and they hers. Her stories bonded everyone together, like they were already a clan. She lead them in hope to escape. Chance was like a deputy, making sure she could keep her head.

"My friends, my clan," Blossompaw breathed as they continued the chant.

Talia, although a pessimist, was clever and levelheaded. Sylvester was good natured and kind. Chance was wise albeit gruff. Missy was like a mother, comforting everyone in their time of need. Hevner was always enthusiastic and never let the world bring him down.

Like clock work the white coats entered the room, disturbed by the eruption of barking and meowing. The female twoleg mad her way over to Blossompaws cage. The white furred she cat placed three brow food pellets by the cage door, so when the twoleg brought her back she could easily slide them in place.

"I'll see you soon," she smiled at Chance as she was picked up by the twoleg. The old dog snorted.

"I'll be waiting," he muttered with dry amusement.

The female twoleg once again injected her with a strange fluid once they were in the testing room. Blossompaw immediately knew this one was different from the first. The first made her hallucinate, this one instantly made her feel sick and queasy. Her head was spinning and she wobbled on shaky legs. Her stomach was churning and her vision blurred. Surely this must be what death felt like.

Without even realizing it she was being carried back to her cage.

_Got...too...jam the door, _she mustered the thought as she saw her cage. But her vision was swimming by now and she couldn't think properly.

_Food pellets...move them, _Blossompaw told herself as she was set down. She felt sluggish as she prodded the pellets between the door and the hatch. The female twoleg was muttering to herself, probably about Blossompaw being in the way. The twoleg prodded the she cat so she could close the door. Before Blossompaw could complete the mission she felt herself retch. She had never felt this sick in her life, she closed her eyes and stumbled back, falling into a troubled unconsciousness.

* * *

_This time I'll do it, this time I'll be able to jam the door shut._

_This time will be different, I won't panic._

_This time it will work, the food pellets will support the weight of the door without being crushed._

_This time..._

_This time..._

"There is no more time left," Blossompaw snarled at the voices giving their excuses for the failed mission. "We are all too sick to even think of escaping at this point, I have resigned myself to death. I'm done,"

No one uttered a word. Blossompaw had given up, just like that. Maybe she had reason to not believe in them anymore, they had made no progress in their attempts to get out of the prison. They were fighting a loosing battle.

"If you quit, if you say it's over. Then it's over. We'll all give up too. She be careful when you say that," Chance cautioned with a dangerous tone to his voice. Blossompaw didn't correct herself, she didn't need to repeat what they all knew to be true.

"Tell us another story," a meager voice whispered. Blossompaw glanced at the cage below hers. A small black cat with green orbs for eyes sat below her. Mylph, was her name.

"The story already ended. Ashclan perished and the other three moved on," Blossompaw stated with exasperation.

"Then make something up," Mylph pleaded.

"You won't get anywhere with that stubborn one, Mylph, she's pouting like a kit," Chance snorted. Blossompaw felt a certain sting at his harsh words. Her blue eyes narrowed into slits and she settled herself to begin a fanciful tale.

"Smogfoot couldn't give up on his fallen clan so easily, even though his friends had. Some of Ashclan's warriors had escaped the fire, and joined the other clans so that their heritage would not leave the forests and beaches forever. Smogfoot had other plans for his clans dark fate," her voice rolled like ocean waves. When she stopped speaking it was like a clap of thunder hushed the crowds. The glowing eyes like stars watched in captivation as the story began.

"Smogfoot's spirit found the cats who had joined Seaclan, Cedarclan, and Ravenclan. He told them to come with him, where they would journey beyond Cedarclan's hills and past twoleg place. They would find another forest to call home. The small group of Ashclan warriors began their journey, hopeful of rebuilding their clan. They found another forest by the mountains. Slowly they found rouges to join them in their quest to survive,"

Blossompaw made up the story as she went. Of course it wasn't true though, Ashclan was gone. Some had mingled and integrated into the other clans, but they hadn't delved past that. It never hurt to pretend though.

"As they grew, so did their thirst for revenge. The other three clans had wronged them, betrayed them. They had left Ashclan to die off instead of helping them. Despite Smogfoot's wishes they organized a patrol of warriors to challenge the other clans to the rights of their land. Ashstar himself came to stop the vengeful warriors. He told them they had rebuilt themselves stronger than before. They were prosperous. Why would they destroy that over something so futile. The Ashclan warriors realized their errors and returned to their home.

The three other clans thus never knew the fourth clan was still alive, and that was their punishment. They would forever remain guilty for letting their friend down," Blossompaw finished the story, but it didn't sound complete. Her other tales had always had a sound resolution. This one...did not. The other animals didn't seem disturbed by that fact, they were pleased none the less.

Blossompaw curled up to sleep, she told herself it was simply to rest. She was weak and nauseous. But she really just wanted to forget about her failure to help her friends escape. She had let her own friends down by not coming up with a better plan. Her story had mirrored her feelings, she would always remain guilty for giving up so easily.

_"Hello, my daughter," a voice awakened the sleeping apprentice. Her blue eyes flitted open and were amazed to see starlight all around her. She had forgotten what the sky looked like in her captivity. But if she was seeing Starclan did that mean..._

_"Am I dead?" she whispered. The dark cat shook his head._

_"No, but you are close. I have an important message for you," the cat murmured. Blossompaw suddenly recognized him._

_"Dad...what are you...no. You can't be dead! I've only been gone a moon, you can't be dead!" Blossompaw cried in anguish. Tears filled with glimmering stars rolle dover her cheeks. Her father Adderfang wiped them away with his tail._

_"You've been gone nearly six moons. Your friends are all warriors. I am dead, there was a thunderpath accident,"_

_"Wha-, what is your message?" Blossompaw sniffled._

_"It will take some time to explain, come, sit with me," Adderfang beckoned. His daughter followed as he lead her to a cliff overhang. As far as the eye could see was a vast expanse of ocean. The moonlight rippled over the black waters in an ominous way. It reminded her of Seaclan, but there were no beaches here. Just jagged cliffs against the weight of the ocean._

_"You certainly have a gift for story telling, my daughter," Adderfang laughed softly. "I suppose Silverstorm taught you that. A remarkable cat, with an even more remarkable story,"_

_"Do you mean Silverpaw? Is her warrior name Silverstorm?" Blossompaw said excitedly. Adderfang nodded with a slight smile._

_"What did you say about her being remarkable?"_

_"That would take even more time to explain. You'll learn her story when you reach Starclan someday as well. Let's just say your friend dabbled with fate a lot,"_

_Blossompaw mulled over this new information. She wanted to ask more questions about Ravenclan and the other apprentices, now they didn't have time for idle gossip. Whatever Adderfang needed to tell her she knew it was something big._

_"When you told the other animals the legends of the clans, Starclan couldn't help but listen in as well. The last story you told...it was more true than you thought. The survivors of Ashclan did leave the forest and head someplace far away. The other three clans forgot them, and Starclan certainly tried too. But when you brought up the guilt the clans would always feel for letting Smogfoot and Ashstar down, Starclan was awakened by hat guilt. They realized it wasn't too late to fix their mistakes."_

_"I don't understand," Blossompaw interrupted._

_"You will my daughter, you will. But now you must promise me, you must try to escape," Adderfang asked. He began to fade and Blossompaw realized she was waking up._

_"You must escape," he repeated._

_"I'll try," the apprentice whispered._

_"You _must _escape," Adderfang said fiercely._

_"I will! I'll escape," Blossompaw said just as Adderfang vanished._

* * *

**Oi! I AM ON A ROLL TODAY! I basically just dished out four chapters after a three month hiatus. Ya know, reliable updating skills at their finest. Anyhow tell me what you think in the comments. Are ya'll excited for the great escape? I know I am *snort*.**


	5. Chapter 5

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part One: The Capture**

"What was your life like before being captured? You mentioned you had twolegs," Blossompaw asked Chance. The dog let out a contemptuous snort.

"It doesn't concern you,"

"I'm curious," Blossompaw whined. Chance seemed to relax as his shoulders drooped.

"You sure are persistent. There isn't much to my story anyways. I just had owners, I lived in nice neighborhood, my twolegs had another dog too, her name was Via,"

The way Chance spoke about Via it was clear she meant more to him that simply another dog living in the same den.

"Do you miss your home?" she continued.

"Of course, but there was a reason I was captured by the white coats. I ran away from my home. Via came with me but she..." he stopped abruptly. His muscles tensed as he visibly searched for something to say. Blossompaw changed the subject because clearly he was uncomfortable.

"I had a dream last night, my father visited me. He told me not to give up so easily. There is something important I have to do, I think," she murmured. Chance blinked at her, waiting for her to continue. There was nothing left to say.

* * *

"The food pellets themselves were too soft to securely jam the hatch open, but if we found a harder object it might work," Sylvester pointed out. Mylph rolled her eyes.

"Tell me, Sylvester, do you see many objects that look hard and inconspicuous in our cages?" she sighed. Blossompaw frowned as the animals discussed various ideas for escape. After she had told them all about the dream sent to her by her father the idea of escape no longer seemed so far fetched. If Starclan had decided it was their destiny too escape, then they would find a way.

"What about the long needle?" Missy questioned.

"What long needle?" Talia barked in confusion. Blossompaw caught on to Missy's idea.

"The one they prick us with, the one that makes us sick? It might work, but how would we get a hold of it?" Blossompaw questioned. Missy shrugged at the obvious dilemma.

"I can get it for you. The white coat always sets the needle now to write her notes. I could hide it in my jaws," Chance offered.

"Be careful," Blossompaw cautioned. His single working eye gleamed at the prospect of danger. Even his blind eye seemed bright than normal. Blossompaw was still concerned, if the white coats caught him he could get hurt. Or if he pricked the inside of his mouth with the needle his sickness might get worse. His symptoms were only coughing right now, but Blossompaw new coughing could be deadly. The clan had lost many due to the lethal green cough.

"Be careful," she repeated. Chance understood what she meant and gave a slight nod. When the twolegs entered the room to collect the animals for the daily testing Chance made himself as noticeable as possible so he would be chosen. The male twolegs always selected animals that were noisy or moving. The female picked animals that cowered in fear. She was strange, and dangerous. Blossompaw suspected there was something not quite right in her mind.

"May Starclan light your path," Blossompaw called out to Chance as his cage door was opened. The white coat wrapped a leash around his neck and walked him to the labs. The door closed, locking the others inside to wait anxiously for the selected ones returns. Blossompaw felt queasy, and this time it wasn't because of the sickness. After what seemed like days of agony the door finally reopened. Chance was being walked in on the leash again, he kept stumbling every so often but other than that he seemed unscathed.

But did he get the object?

Once the twolegs had opened his cage Chance turned to face Blossompaw. He opened his jaws a spit out the metal thing with disgust. The other animals cheered at his success.

"This better work cause I ain't doin that again," he grumbled while keeping it hidden from the unsuspecting white coats.

"Hurry, cause a distraction," Blossomapw ordered. They needed to twolegs attention occupied with someone else so Chance could jam the hatch open. Mylph quickly began hissing and spitting. Talia barked up a storm and Missy wailed like she was being clawed to death by a badger. The three twolegs turned and shouted at the three to be quiet. It gave chance enough time to pick the needle up in his jaws and place it between the hatch and the door. If it worked the door would look closed, but it wouldn't latch.

When the twolegs turned back Chance was staring innocently up at them. They left the room oblivious. Chance immediately pawed at the cage door until it swung open, Blossompaw was holding her breath as the dog jumped out, free at last.

"Now, the question remains, how do I open the other cages?" he frowned. That was an important question. They hadn't thought that far into the plan, or risk being to hopeful.

"It shouldn't be to hard, the twolegs open the cages in a few seconds without much difficulty. Try pushing the little lever on the outside up with your nose," Blossompaw suggested. Chance obliged and her hatch clicked, she threw her body weight against the door and went flying out of the cage. Her blue eyes were alight with liveliness. Then she settled into focus, they hadn't escaped yet. Quickly the dog and cat began opening other cages, letting out as many as they could.

"Shhh!" Blossompaw hissed frantically as the freed animals began jabbering. "Be quiet or you'll wake the white coats!"

They weren't listening, they were too excited. Chance stood on his hind legs to reach the cages higher up, but it was a slow process.

"Shut up or we'll get caught!" Blossompaw tried again. This time a few listened to her, but the way they even moved created a ruckus. In a dead silent night their breathing made a loud noise. "Hurry," she prompted Chance, whose reply was simply a snort. Suddenly noises sounded from the hallway, grumbling and murmuring echoed against the dense walls. The door to the animals holding room creaked open and one of the white coats stood there, rubbing his eyes.

Then he saw the panicked faces and glowing eyes staring up at him. He let out a startled shout and began lunging for the loose animals.

"We have to run, now!" Chance ordered. Blossompaw was rooted to the ground, there was still animals trapped inside.

"We can't leave them!" she argued and came to life, rushing to open other cages. Chance dragged her back by the scruff and the other two white coats came to the scene, awakened by the commotion.

"You'll be captured, it's too late for them," Chance snarled as he set her down. Blossompaw risked a side long glance behind her. Sylvester was still in his cage, his mouth open with pleas.

"Don't leave me!" he cried. Blossompaw turned away with a sickening feeling and bolted from the room with Chance hot on her heels. Once the herd was in the hallway they began to scatter.

"This way!" she shouted for them to follow her. They quickly regrouped and sprinted towards the exit. The glass door was only fox lengths in front of them. They would make it, the outside was within reaching distance. Blossompaw could almost smell the fresh air, and feel the breeze on her cheeks. She swore she already heard birds cawing. And then she ran head first into the door, and it didn't budge. Chance stood on his hind paws and threw his body weight against the door, but to no avail.

"No, we can't have come this far just to be trapped at a dead end," Blossompaw howled with anger and frustration. She could still see Sylvester's eyes in the back of her mind, hurt and betrayal as they abandoned him.

"Break the door!" she commanded and stepped back to allow the bigger the dogs a go at the door.

"On the count of three," Chance ordered and stepped back to get a running sprint.

"Hurry," Blossopaw urged as the twolegs spotted them. They were holding tools of a sort, to probably try and capture the animals with.

"Three!" Chance growled and the row of dogs charged forward. The sound of them hitting the glass was like a clap of thunder. It was enough to scare the white coats back a few paces. Again the dogs lined up and rammed into the doors, this time they had some leeway. The locks on the doors were broken from the pressure and they swung open.

Blossompaw was almost...hesitant to escape. And then she was running out into the open, faster than her paws had ever carried her. She was leading the pack, they trusted her to guide them to safety. The big dogs created a barrier in the back so no one would fall behind. It was like they were a clan, moving together. A fluid river in motion.


	6. Chapter 6

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Two: The Mission**

The pack, as they dubbed themselves, sought shelter away from the city and twoleg place. It couldn't quite be counted as a forests or moors, but something in between. There were a few trees scattered about which offered no real canopy. There was a rock structure on the meadow hills which they made their camp. The rocks provided a deep cave with many cracks for sunlight.

It was no home though, the animals still went to sleep at night with dreams of death. They still cowered in the cave instead of adventuring in their new territory after moons of capture. Blossompaw was unanimously elected their leader, a position she knew she had earned. But she didn't want it. She was captivated by fear of letting them down. She was only an apprentice after all, and her father had yet to come to her in a dream again. Perhaps he was waiting for her to do something.

"Chance, can you organize a hunting patrol today? I'm not feeling so well," Blossompaw called out to Chance, her deputy of sorts. The great dog nodded before picking an array of cats to hunt for birds, mice, and squirrels; and a selection of dogs to get bigger game like geese and ducks. Blossompaw laid in her nest with her white chin resting on her paws. She closed her eyes, hoping sleep would take her, but it would not.

_"Please, don't leave me!" _Sylvester's voice cried out. Like a coward Blossompaw had turned away and left him behind. Left him for dead. She didn't deserve sleep. Suddenly she felt something stirring, she ran out the cave just in time to retch.

"Well, there goes breakfast," she muttered dryly. She quickly trotted over to the creek to clean the taste of bile out of her mouth. She could barely get down a mouthful of water without coughing.

"What is going on?" she mewed to herself with an annoyed huff. Her stomach gave another lurch and she feared she was going to be sick again. "If only we had a medicine cat," she murmured. Then she frowned. _We aren't a clan, I need to stop thinking we are, _she thought silently. She walked slowly back to camp, but she couldn't stop seeing Ravenclan. Chance was the deputy, she was leader. The dogs and cats were warriors - fighting against all odds to survive.

Then she realized what she was seeing was not in fact Ravenclan, but another clan entirely. She sucked in a gasp as she realized it was a vision. Adderfang was suddenly standing next to her.

"Is this a dream?" she asked her father. He shook his head.

"No, but it is similar. Only you can see me. Come, let's walk," he suggested. Blossompaw was too stunned to refuse. They circled the camp, while Adderfang pointed things out - shapes moving that were not a part of the pack.

"Who are these cats?" she demanded in the unfamiliar presence of these strange cats. Suddenly the rocky pile changed into a twoleg structure. Blossompaw took an uncertain step back.

"Why are you showing me this?" she asked, alarmed. Adderfang had vanished. She blinked and the foreign cats disappeared, and the rock pile replaced the twoleg nest.

"What do you want form me?" she hissed under her breath. She knew Adderfang was trying to tell her something, albeit being more vague than Starclan themselves. The first time he spoke to her was after she had told the stories of Ashclan, he mentioned she told more truth than she realized. Blossompaw shook the thoughts from her head, she had more pressing matters on her paws.

She was sick. That much was obvious. While most of the other animals recovered form their illnesses within a few days with little to no symptoms left, Blossompaw was clearly not cured. She thought she had been getting better, and now all of a sudden the symptoms were back in full swing. Her disease had only subsided temporarily. She had a suspicion the twolegs had been working on the cure for whatever sickness they gave her, per their research, but it only held off the disease instead of ridding her of it.

The question remained, what was she going to do about it?

"Blossompaw," a voice behind her sounded. _Chance, _she thought as she turned to face her deputy.

"Everyone has been fed, we surprised a flock of geese," he reported dutifully.

"Good, good," she responded, although her mind was otherwise occupied. _Chance is a good deputy, he know's how to handle the animals and keep their spirits high...He could lead them well enough without me. _

"Are you alright, you look tired," he asked with concern. Blossompaw waved him away with a flick of her tail.

"I'm fine, but you should probably stay away from me in case this little cold is contagious," she explained. It was only partially a lie. It was definitely not a little cold, but she truthfully wanted him to give her space. The disease very well could spread, and if she infected her pack she'd never forgive herself. Chance nodded his head and walked off to chat with the others. Blossompaw was left alone to think.

"What am I going to do?" she asked herself wearily. _Leave, _she answered herself subconsciously. It did seem like the most logical solution. Chance could lead the pack, and she wouldn't be a danger to them. And whatever Adderfang wanted her to do, it seemed like she wouldn't be sticking around. Her heart began beating frantically in her chest.

"Am I really doing this? Am I running away?" she whispered to herself. _Yes, yes you are. Tonight when they are asleep you go. _

* * *

She slipped gracefully out of camp, watching with sorrow filled eyes as she left behind the only family she really remembered. The animals all slept together in a giant mound, keep each other warm and warding off the night terrors that plagued them.

"I have to go, I'm sick. I could hurt them," she breathed to herself, her voice was so soft even she couldn't hear it. She knew her words rang hollow in her head. "Adderfang told me I have an important mission I need to do, something involving the fallen Ashclan. I must leave,"

This time there was a note of confidence behind her words. She did need to leave, and she trusted her pack wold be in Chance's capable paws. She turned and slunk away, regret weighing each of her paw steps down. She didn't notice as the white dog with brown and gold splashes and one blind eye followed after her. Blossompaw walked until she reached the ravine, signifying the end of their territory. That's when the dog spoke up behind her. She had a slight suspicion he might have come after her.

"Each night you fill these tortured souls with stories of your glorious and noble clans. We lived those stories, bled for them. We embodied them in our pack because those stories are what brought us together, tighter than any clan could be," Chance growled, his fangs showing under his muzzle.

"I am aware," Blossompaw retorted. Her mind instantly pictured Silverpaw - the proud apprentice from Ravenclan. She found contempt that she sounded just like her. Chance continued talking in his deep rasp.

"Why aren't you happy here?" he demanded. Blossompaw didn't know what to say.

"I'm sick, it's for the best that I leave. And I told you about my dreams of Adderfang and what he told me,"

"Don't _lie _Blossompaw. Those are excuses, not reasons," Chance snorted, his eyes bored into hers. Seeking out the real reason for her running away.

"I've been telling myself each night and day that I don't miss the clans. I tell myself I am content leading this new life. But I'm not!" she wailed with anguish. She wanted to go home. She wanted to be a warrior, not a part of a pack. She wanted to see her mother and talk with the other apprentices. She wanted anything that wasn't the life she had right now.

"Why don't you go back then?" he asked. She looked at him as if he was crazy.

"I wouldn't even know where to start looking. I could be a thousand miles away!"

"So start looking," he pointed out simply. "If you aren't happy here just go, no one is forcing you to stay. But don't leave in the dead of night, don't make foolish excuses,"

"It isn't that easy!" she shouted, defending her actions. "You're just a loner, you nothing about loyalty! I love these animals like my kin. I love them like clan mates. But I still love my old clan mates! I'm torn in half!" the words ripped out of her, she needed him to understand why this was hard for her, why this was not an easy decision. She looked up and was surprised to find Chance looking at her with immeasurable sadness.

"I know nothing about loyalty, huh?" he whispered softly. She tried to back track and apologize but her cut her off.

"After everything I have done for you...I have been the most loyal deputy. I advise you, comfort you, help you with daily tasks. But even then you think you are the only animal here who feels loyalty to someone they left behind," his voice had a dangerous edge to it. An invisible wall seemed to appear, separating them. Blossompaw realized how heartless she had been to him. She knew almost nothing of his backstory. She only asked to appease her own curiosity, there had been no concern for him.

"Just go Blossompaw!" he shouted. And she did, she turned tail and fled. Her paws scampered over grass and stone until the sun began to set behind the horizon. She kept running as night fell across the sky, she crossed thunderpaths and twoleg places until the beat of her heart had settled into a steady rhythm. Eventually exhaustion claimed her and she slept where she dropped.

* * *

She opened her mouth and various scents flooded her nose, the scent of prey was carried on the breeze. She detected a mouse and lowered slowly into the hunters crouch. She padded forward cautiously and wiggled her haunches, preparing to spring. Her blue eyes located the gray creature sifting through a pile of fallen leaves, collecting seeds for its store. It's whiskers twitched, oblivious to the looking presence of danger.

Blossompaw was unsure of how to go about catching the mouse, she hadn't gotten far in her training with her mentor. They'd only just covered the basics before she was captured from camp and taken to the testing facility. She left out a huff of frustration, alerting the mouse. It skittered away, she watched it flee as her stomach rumbled.

"If you always hunt like that, you're gonna starve to death," a voice chided behind her. She spun around in shock and saw a lean tom cat behind her. His fur was a mix of swirls of gray and orange, like ash settling over a raging fire. He was a flame point tabby with hints of darker grays around his muzzle and paws. His eyes were a lucid green, as deep as the pines of Ravenclan.

"That's funny, because it doesn't look like you caught the mouse either," she sniffed haughtily. The tom's eyes narrowed and a smirk played on his muzzle.

"Well you already scared it away so the point is moot," he retorted. Blossompaw found that this tom irked her. She could tell she was growing to hate his crooked grin already.

"Who are you, anyways? One of the local fleas?" she snapped. His eyes widened at her apparent annoyance. He snorted in response to the question. Blossompaw was reminded of her old friend Chance, it caused her pain to think she had left on such band terms.

"Who are you?" she asked again, more firmly this time but without the sass.

"Flint," he said curtly. "I'm guessing your name is Clumsy,"

"My name is Blossompaw," she corrected - carrying pride for her name.

"I never understood clan names, they are weird don'tchya think?"

Blossompaw bristled at his words and was too bothered by him to care that he knew of the clans. He'd probably encountered some before, a traveling loner like himself. She was about to fire another insult at him when a fit of coughs racked her body. She hated herself for showing weakness, but the sickness was strong. It came in waves, enough to bring her kneeling to the ground.

Flint sniffed her and proclaimed "You're sick,"

"Gee I had no idea!" she wheezed in between painful breaths. She coughed for a minute more, sure Flint had left - when she opened her blue eyes her was still hovering next to her.

"Come on, get up flowerfeet or whatever your name is," he prompted and nudged her into a standing position.

"Blossompaw," she corrected again and leaned heavily on his shoulder. She could feel the muscle beneath his pelt, he was strongly built. She noted that his name suited him. The stone flint matched the gray ash colors in his pelt and the fiery undertones.

"Come on, I'll take you to my friend. He knows how to fix stuff like this," Flint explained and guided her into the open twoleg compound. She thanked him under her breath, but was still irked by him. The second she was well enough to be on her own she would be getting as far away from him as possible.

* * *

**SCREEE! Flint is back, swoon ;)**

**Anyways what did you think of the chapter? Mad at Blossom for ditching Chance or curious to see where she'll end up? **


	7. Chapter 7

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Two: The Mission**

"Flint?" a voice called out. Flint looked up and smiled.

"Shiver! Come help me!" he responded. Shiver ran over and studied Blossompaw curiously.

"Who is this?" she asked before using her own weight to support the white she cat.

"Her name is Flowerfeet,"

"Blossompaw," the apprentice answered over Flint.

"I'm Shiver, Flint's older sister," Shiver explained.

"Older by like two minutes," Flint muttered under his breath. Blossompaw studied Shiver. She shared the same green eyes as her brother, but her pelt was very different. Her paws were all white like she was paw deep in snow. She had a white chest, underbelly, and ear tips. Her tail was ringed with the same ashen color. The rest of her fur was orange.

"Do you have any other siblings?" Blossmpaw asked Shiver. She didn't mind talking to the she cat, unlike Flint who was obnoxious.

"Yes, four in total. We were born kitty pets but when we were old enough to be weened form our mother we were taken away. Flint and I were adopted by the same twoleg and we ran off first chance we got. We have another brother, Cloud. And another sister, Ginger. Our mother's name was princess, I can't remember who our father was though. I know we had an uncle who was close to our mother, she spoke of him often. What was his name...oh I'm sorry, look at me rambling," Shiver laughed and ended the lengthy explanation.

"Where did your other siblings end up?" Blossompaw pried. Shiver shrugged.

"We're here," Flint announced. Blossompaw glanced at the abandoned lot before them. It was in the middle of a twoleg complex. There clearly used to be a twoleg den there but it was in shambles. Nothing more than a few walls and scattered twoleg items.

"This is the meeting wall, cats all over the neighborhood come here to talk," Shiver explained and guided Blossompw inside. There were a few stray cats inside, mingling. They barely lifted their head as Flint and Shiver hauled Blossomapw inside. Shiver showed Blossompaw to a twoleg nest of sorts. It was a long wooden square with a cushion, Shiver called it a couch. Blossompaw obliged and rested on it. The coughing had subsided, but she felt light headed.

"Go get Whisper," Flint instructed his sister. "I'll make sure she's okay,"

Shiver nodded and left the meeting wall. Blossompaw watched her leave, her vision spinning.

"So how did you get sick? It isn't like something I've seen before, definitely not green cough," Flint mused.

"Twolegs did this," she answered vaguely, not wanting to elaborate. Thinking about the facility would make her think of the pack, in turn she would think of Sylvester and the others who they left because they were cowards. Flint was silent, Blossompaw glanced up at him and saw his eyes were very intense, his jaw was twitching with anger.

"The dark building," he murmured, his voice low. "You were there, weren't you?"

"If you mean the testing facility then yes, I was there," she answered, surprised Flint of all cats knew about that place. She supposed if the twolegs went out of their way to take cats from Ravenclan then surely they would take rogues from the streets.

"But you escaped..." he said in confusion.

"Myself and many others. But I had to leave them. I believe the twolegs gave me the disease to try and cure it, a part of their research. When I escaped they would no longer give me the antidote so I became sick again,"

"You left so you wouldn't spread infection," Flint caught on. "I know it isn't likely, but there was a cat who used to hang around the meeting wall. We were friends, and he vanished one day. His name was Sylvester, he was black and white. Did he...was he..."

"Sylvester," she breathed his name, it tasted bitter in her mouth. Flint brightened.

"So he escaped with you?" he asked excitedly.

"No," Blossomapw responded darkly. She refused to say anymore on the matter. Flint backed off and they waited for Shiver to return. Not a moment later was she walking through the open doorway with an older tom cat.

"Blossomapw, this is Whisper. He is the friend who can help you," Shiver introduced them. Whisper observed her for a second, and she did the same to him. He still had many good years ahead of him. But he still looked weathered, worn down. He was large and powerfully built, likely from a life of hardships. His eyes were blue gray and his long furred coat was the color of smoke. His gray muzzle was flecked with white.

Whisper crouched next to her and sniffed around her mouth, scenting the sickness. He studied her, prodding her throat and stomach.

"Shiver fetch Burnet. It grows in twoleg yards as a has oval-shaped leaves with serrated edges and grows in large clusters of small flower with buds on top," Whisper instructed the she cat. Shiver nodded and padded off. It was clear both her and Flint held the tom in high regards.

"You remind me of a medicine cat," Blossompaw smiled weakly. Whisper didn't question what a medicine cat was. She figured if Flint knew of Clans Whisper was bound too. "What is Burnet, anyways?"

"It is used as a traveling herb for the most part, it keeps strength up. You will need it to strengthen your immune system," he said simply. He set down a bundle of beech leaves he had been carrying in his jaws. In the bundle was an assortment of other herbs.

"Here, eat this Chevril root," he instructed as he pawed a cluster of brown tendrils towards her. She swallowed them, cringing at the bitter taste.

"And these?" she prompted.

"Chevril roots soothe stomach pains and infections," Whisper smiled at her curiosity.

"Here is a Dandelion bud," he selected a yellow flower from the pile of herbs. After a second he added, "It eases pain,"

Whisper set to work by creating a poultice of a mix of herbs. After he crushed a plant or dripped it juices into the mixture he explained what it was and what it did. He created a mixture of lavender, Tansy, Juniper berries, and Ragweed. He said the mixture was a combination of plants that would help stop infection from within and treat the symptoms of her sickness. The last thing he gave her was Snakeroot which would flush toxins and poison from the body. When Shiver returned with the Burnet Blossompaw ate that as well. She felt almost full after the assortment of herbs, and her strength was building already. She didn't know if it would be strong enough to fight the twolegs poison but she had hope.

"I will be back tomorrow with more herbs, in the meantime you must rest. I will ensure that Flint hunt's for you," Whisper promised and walked away.

"Cause we all know she doesn't know how to hunt for herself," Flint said under his breath but Blossompaw heard and swatted his ear. Flint smirked and fled from the meeting wall to hunt like Whisper had asked of him. Shiver stayed to keep Blosssompaw company.

"Feeling better?" she asked as she settled on the couch. Blossomapw shrugged.

"Thank you for all of your help, I really don't deserve this," she murmured.

"Maybe you can repay the favor, when you are well enough," Shiver asked, surprising her.

"What do you need me to do?" Blossomapw questioned.

"It was Flint's idea actually, but it's our only shot. You are the first cat to come back from the dark building. The others from the meeting wall never returned. Either they died or didn't escape. But you know how to get out, or you wouldn't be here. You also know how to get in..."

"No, no absolutely not," Blossomapw shut that idea down immediately. She would _never _return to the testing facility. The horrors inside would never truly leave her, but she wouldn't intentionally try to relive them. Shiver nodded in understanding and didn't push the matter. Blossomapw figured Flint wouldn't be so nice. She didn't know how too siblings could be such polar opposites. Flint was crude and annoying while Shiver was gentle and clever. She didn't know what to make of Whisper yet, but she liked the old tom for the most part. He seemed wise, but the way he looked at her. It was like he had known she would be here. He had his herbs ready. The whole situation was enough to make her head spin.

* * *

Flint caught a magpie and a squirrel. His sister and him shared the squirrel while Blossomapw devoured the bird.

"Better slow down there, you won't be that small forever if you eat like that," Flint teased her. She sensed he was joking but the comment still rubbed her the wrong way.

"That's the point, I'm eating so I'll get big enough to claw that stupid grin off your face,"

Flint rolled his eyes and turned back to the squirrel. His tail lashed and Blossompaw felt smug. Shiver giggled with twinkling eyes.

"You two are so funny," she said with a hint of hidden meaning behind her words. Blossomapw and Flint were silent. With the magpie filling her belly she felt drowsy. Her jaws parted in a loud yawn and she dropped her chin onto her paws for sleep. She dimly noticed Flint and Shiver leaving before she descended into darkness.

_"Adderfang?" she called out to the black expanse before her. She could see nothing, and heard no response from the chasm of darkness. She did feel a presence though, like a cat was watching her. _

_"Blossompaw," a smooth voice greeted. She spun around a faced a tom cat with sleek black fur and amber eyes like starlight. She backed up warily, preparing to run._

_"Welcome to the oblivion, it used to be Starclan's hunting grounds. Or at least the part of Starcan's hunting grounds that Ashclan controlled. It is no more," the cat explained and waved his tail at the area around him._

_"Ashstar?" she questioned. The cat smiled and nodded. _

_"Your tales were truly something, young Blossompaw," Ashstar praised._

_"Yes but they were nothing more than stories," she frowned. Ashstar shook his head._

_"I wish they were," he sighed. "Come, walk. We don't have much time before you must waken," _

_Blossomapw didn't want to go with Ashstar, but she wouldn't dare refuse the noble leader. They walked into the darkness, and then all at once there was a burst of light so strong Blossompaw had to turn away. She felt a wave of heat and heard the screams of cats. She opened her eyes slightly and watched the destruction unfold. She was witnessing Ashclan's end. The mountain they rested on erupted in a blaze of fire, cats tried to run in vain before being consumed. _

_Her heart felt heavy as the image faded. Ashstar was watching sadly. Blossompaw doubted the pain of that experience would ever fade for the leader. _

_"I am going to show you something no clan cat has ever seen before. And then you will decide whether or not you are up for this task," Ashstar said before continuing to walk. Blossompaw padded after him without hesitation this time. _

_"I know what you are going to ask," she called out. Ashstar stopped and turned to her. _

_"You want me to rebuild Ashclan," she said softly, watching Ashstar's amber gaze. "I've made my decision already, I'll do it,"_

* * *

**See what I did there? **

**Princess, Fireheart's sister, from the first series gave Fireheart one of her kits (Cloudkit) to be raised as a warrior. But she had other kits as well. Flint, Shiver, and Ginger (Gingerfern of Cedarclan). Two of her kits have already left kittypet life to become warriors, awe.**

**Also what do you make of Flint and Blossompaw? They don't seem to be too fond of each other.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Two: The Mission**

_"Seastar!" Ravenstar called out to the tabby she cat. She turned and watched him with cold eyes, their sea foam depths were unmoved by his call._

_"The gathering is over Ravenstar," she spat bitterly, her tail lashing. "Go back to the forests and leave me be,"_

_"I'm sorry!" he pleaded. "I love you, I never meant to hurt you,"_

_This time Seastar dropped her gaze to the smooth rock of the gathering place. She refused to look up, but she felt Ravenstar move closer. She drank in his scent, a mix of pine and lemon grass. Then she pulled away, and looked him in the eye as she spoke._

_"It's over. We agreed it was over the second we created separate clans. We can't be together," she said this softly, painfully. "Cedarstar, my father, even cut ties with me for the sake of our new clans. This is how Starclan wanted it to be,"_

_"Well this isn't what I wanted!" Ravenstar hissed, his eyes blazing with passion."I won't give up on you Seastar! I won't let your father come between us, not even Starclan can stop this. Just say yes," he begged. The two rogues had been in love for some time, but when Ravenclan Seaclan and Cedarclan were born they decided it was for the best if they stopped contact. But Ravenstar would not, could not say goodbye to Seastar._

_The tabby with eyes like the ocean simply shook her head and padded across the moonlit beaches towards her camp, leaving Ravenstar with a gaping hole in his chest. He turned his muzzle towards the sky and wailed for his loss._

Blossompaw sat next to Ashstar, watching the scene below. One of the many events leading up the creation of the clans and Ashclan's destruction. She had always heard the stories, but to _see_ it was something else. The point in the story she figured they were at was in the early moons after the clans first came to be. The three rogues, Sea, Raven and Cedar had just been visited by the Starclan cat - telling them it was their destiny to build the clans. Of course Raven was in Love with Sea and was prepared to break the warrior code for her, but Sea would not do the same. At this point Ashclan had not been formed yet.

_"You - you lying fifthly piece of scum!" Cedarstar shouted accusingly. Ravenstar didn't flinch at the harsh words, but Seastar was shaking under her father's wrath._

_"I told him to leave me be but he didn't listen, I'm sorry father!" Seastar explained frantically, trying to stop the brown furred tom from attacking Ravenstar. Cedarstar stopped and looked down at his daughter, his own blood - his kin._

_"You are a traitor to Seaclan for seeing this cat in secret. You are a traitor to me as well," he growled. Seastar reared back as if he had struck her. She hadn't meant any harm by meeting with Ravenstar, she had thought nothing would be wrong with simply talking to him. But when Cedarstar caught them he was enraged. Starclan watched from above, stricken with fear. The newly formed clans were doomed to fail if the three leaders resorted to war so quickly._

_The once tightly knit group was now at eachothers throats with venomous words and strong resentment. Starclan realized to stop the fighting before it got out of hand they'd need to send another cat to the forest, one with an outside perspective to restore peace to the forests and beaches._

Ashstar sighed as the memory slowly changed to another scene. Blossompaw recognized the cat she was looking down on, it was indeed Ashstar, albeit younger. The black cat with observant amber eyes was filled with an energy that the one beside her didn't contain anymore. The young Ashstar was oblivious to the horrors to come.

_Being the closest cat to the clans with a large following of rogues; Starclan turned to him to create the fourth clan. Ashstar, hearing the promise of nine lives, agreed and lead his rogues to the tall peak looming over the other clans. At first Starclan's plan worked. The other leaders were too preoccupied in patrolling new borders that their feud stopped._

_Then Ashstar became greedy. He figured that Seastar, Cedarstar, and Ravenstar had given up territory for him so quickly it meant they were weak. They showed no protest in giving him the peak. Perhaps they would not protest the encroachment of more land. But they did. It united the other leaders against Ashstar, repairing their shattered bonds. The other three leaders protected one another from Ashclan trying to gain more territory. Ashstar, fearing being driven from the peak, ambushed the other clans at a gathering to show his prowess and power to intimidate the others._

_Starclan would not forgive them._

_Not one moon cycle later did the peak erupt and Ashclan was destroyed. Most assumed this was the end of the story for Ashclan, but that was not the case. Few escaped the eruption, and they begged for the other clans to help them rebuild their once proud clan. The others refused. The remainder of Ashclan scattered into the nearby cities, forgetting the warrior code for clearly it meant nothing if Starclan would not protect them._

_Seastar, Ravenstar, and Cedarstar knew they had failed themselves as leaders. Turning their back on helpless cats who'd just witnessed the destruction of their home was heartless. They had all been so caught up int their own turmoils they ignored what made them clan cats int he first place; friendship. In shame the three leaders exiled themselves, leaving their clans in the paws of their faithful deputies. They trusted their deputies would better manage the clans - since they didn't have the feud their predecessors had._

_They were wrong. Sandbreeze of Seaclan, Drycloud of Cedarclan, and Blackhawk of Ravenclan had been friends for moons - meeting in secret and discussing their futures int heir respective clans. Smogfoot, deputy of Ashclan, had been their friend as well. But they too turned their back on him as his spirit begged them to rebuild Ashclan. Smogfoot was enraged, how could they turn their backs on him after all they secrets they had shared, after all the nights spent adventuring?_

_Thing thing about betrayal - it never comes from your enemies._

_When the three leaders went to claim their nine lives in the glowing cavern Smogfoot was waiting for them, but the lives he gave them were not the lives they wanted. He gave each of them a life for pain; pain to know what he had suffered. Pain to watch their own clans fail as his had. Pain as this life he bestowed them, this curse, would tear them apart._

_Smogfoot vanished, his spirit walking unknown skies, unable to reach Starclan after dooming the remaining clans to crumble. Ashstar was the only one able to contact his lost deputy. Ashstar begged him to revoke his curse, but it was too late. The lives had been given. Seaclan and Ravenclan would become bitter enemies, fighting over borders and land. Cedarclan would fade into the shadows, corrupting in silence. Their own weakness would be their demise._

_This dark fate almost happened, but a powerful cat managed to change it. This cat was so powerful he walked in skies even higher than Starclan's hunting grounds. His name was Rock...but his story no longer intertwines with this one from then on._

_Slowly the Ashclan warriors faded from their small territory in Starclan, being forgotten by those living._

Blossompaw was horror struck as the story developed, she had never imagined how heartbreaking it was. Ashstar turned to her, his amber eyes chilled as ice.

"I will fade too, and soon. The decedents of the few who survived the eruption in Ashclan are loosing their way of life. Once they abandon clan ways all together Ashclan will be gone for good, and nothing will be able tor reverse it. Rebuilding my clan is no small task - think carefully before you accept. You will never be able to return to Ravenclan," he warned. Blossompaw had already given her answer, and she wasn't planning on changing it. She had many questions, of which she knew none would be answered. But she had one request.

"I can't complete this mission alone. I want my father, I want him to guide me. I know their is only so much he can do from my dreams. But still, I'd like him to be watching over me," she murmured resolutely.

"My daughter, I am always watching over you," a voice form behind her announced. She spun around and ran towards her waiting father. She buried her nose is his fur, he smelled of home.

"I will visit you in your dreams as often as I can, but I can't help you with this mission. This is up to you to do now. There are certain rules cats of Starclan are limited too, what we can and cannot say. I will only be able to encourage you, to train you in the ways of a warrior so you may train others,"

"I'll make you proud," she sighed into his fur, she felt him lick the top of her head. She turned to Ashstar and nodded with agreement. His smiled before slowly fading from her vision. Her eyes blinked open to soft sunlight, and a new found determination bloomed inside her.

Over the next few days Blossompaw worked on formulating a plan to complete her impossible task. When she had first accepted it was because she had thought it was her duty, and Ashstar's heart wrenching story was compelling. But after thinking on it she realized it was going to take the moon and the sun to do it. She stayed at the meeting wall for the time being, she was protected there from dangerous street cats. Whisper visited every so often to check on her, but she was recovering well.

Flint and Shiver were goo company too. Well, mostly Shiver. Flint seemed arrogant and often rubbed her fur the wrong way. But things never got too out of paw because Shiver managed to keep the peace amongst them. In one of her cats with the orange and white she cat she was curious to learn more about her early life.

"Well as you know Flint and I grew up as kittypets with out mother Princess. We were only with her for a few moons before we were old enough to be taken by other twolegs. But when we were young we loved hearing stories. Her brother Fireheart was a warrior from a different set of clans than yours - he told her tales of the forest and in turn she repeated them to us. Flint and I have a basic understanding of the warriors way of life. When we were taken from Princess we craved that freedom and escaped out twolegs. When we found the meeting wall it became home,"

"What about Whisper, he knew of the clans too?" Blossompaw murmured, thinking of the mysterious old tom.

"Ah, yes, his story is much more interesting than mine. But he's reluctant to share it. He was born a rouge, I know he had a brother and sister. But something happened, something bad. He traveled all over and encountered a clan which he called home for some time before moving on. He certainly is ominous though, he seems to know more than he should," Shiver gave a slight chuckle. Blossompaw agreed wholeheartedly. Whisper gave off the feeling he could read signs like a medicine cat, but he wasn't one so it must have just been how he acted.

"What about you, I know of course you were held captive in the dark place and you escaped. And I know you were born in the clans, but tell me about the in between stuff," Shiver prompted. Blossompaw didn't know what to say, she didn't like talking about her life to others. Even though Shiver was a good friend it was too personal.

"My clan was called Ravenclan, I had just been apprenticed when I was taken. I don't know how long I was held captive. When I escaped with the other animals we lived as a pack for some time," she phrased it as simply as she could, but her heart still stung from the memories. Her mind drifted back to Ashstar, she'd been meaning to ask Shiver if she could guide Blossompaw out of twoleg place. The thunderpaths were too confusing to navigate for a newcomer. Before she could say anything Shiver was talking again.

"Have you given any more thought to what I said? About helping to stop the twolegs cruel operation?" she asked somewhat hopefully. Blossompaw couldn't meet her gaze, but she felt guilt stir inside her.

"You know I can't...it's still too fresh. Besides there is nothing we could do anyways,"

"We should at least try, and we won't be able too without your help," Shiver pleaded, her green eyes were wide and imploring. An idea popped into Blossompaw's mind. She pushed it away but it was persistent.

"I might be willing to help you, but I'll need a favor in return," she said softly. As quickly as she could she told Shiver of Ashclan's history and of Ashstar visiting her in her dreams. "I know it's a lot, but I can't do this on my own,"

"Rebuilding a clan though...I wouldn't even know where to begin!" Shiver said in shock.

"That makes two of us," Blossompaw smiled ruefully.

"I'd need to talk it over with Flint," Shiver sighed finally. Blossomapw felt a spark of hope, but it was crushed by the fear of going back to the testing place, with its echoing halls and torture rooms. Her nose twitched as she recalled the lingering scent of death wafting from the air vents. Chance's words rang in her ears, his explanation of the furnace and how the twolegs burned the dead instead of burying them.

Flint suddenly entered the meeting wall area with clump of herbs in his jaws. His eyes were watering from the bitter taste. He spat the herbs out and Blossompaw let out a purr of amusement.

"Whisper had me collecting herbs all morning," he complained. His stomach rumbled and Shiver rose to her paws.

"Care to come hunting with me?" she asked. She didn't need a reply to know Flint would say yes. He turned to look at Blossompaw, eyes twinkling.

"It's best if you and I hunt, sis, cause we know Flowerfeet here can't catch dirt,"

Blossompaw ignored the jibe and stared back indignantly. She didn't bother correcting his nickname for her either. It was simply his attempt at being creative and mocking her name. Pathetic, really. She watched them walk away, knowing Shiver would tell him about what Blossomapw had told her. Either they'd make the deal and help her or they wouldn't. All Blossompaw could do was wait for their return.

After what seemed like hours of gruelingly waiting, Flint and Shiver returned. Flint had a troubled expression and Shiver looked impassive.

"So?" Blossompaw asked cautiously, both cats were too neutral to be able to read their expressions. Shiver spoke up first.

"We've agreed to help you with your mission about Ashclan, but only if we succeed in our mission. We can't simply try to destroy the facility, we must. If it doesn't work there is no deal," Shiver explained. Blossompaw mulled it over, deciding it was worth the risk.

"Alright, we leave at dawn tomorrow," she finalized. Both cats nodded and walked away to turn in form the night. Blossompaw did so as well. Her eyes closed slowly, and she eagerly awaited her dreams.

_"Adderfang," she mewed and rushed forward to embrace her father. He smiled down at her, his usual harsh features softened as he gazed at his daughter. _

_"I'm proud of you, I knew Starclan made the right decision in choosing you to save Ashclan, I have faith you'll succeed,"_

_"That's comforting to hear, but I'm still confused. I don't understand why Starclan decided to save Ashclan at all. The clans been gone for centuries. Why now? Why try to resurrect it now?" she questioned. _

_"Because Starclan is never proud of themselves when they let a clan die. And every once in a while a new clan will have to be created because one of them fell. Not all of Ashclan died in the volcanic eruption so long ago. But the survivors had to leave because the other clans wouldn't take them in and they hardly had enough numbers to create another clan. They traveled far and have gone to a place not even we know of. You have to find them and reconnect them with their Ashclan roots. You have to rebuild them because we failed to save them,"_

_"How," she cried helplessly. "Flint and Shiver will try to help but honestly how much can we accomplish when we don't even know what we are _looking _for!"_

_"I will train you, here it your dreams. You will become a warrior and you will have the strength to find a way," Adderfang said with determination. Blossompaw nodded and focused at the task at hand, her training._

_"I never had proper training before I was taken, I still have a lot to learn," _

_Adderfang didn't reply. He simply flicked his tail, urging Blossompaw to follow him to wherever they would begin their first lesson. Adderfang first demonstrated three types of hunting crouches; one for mice and voles, one for rabbits, and one for birds. She looked up at her father as she landed in the proper form. _

Her eyes stared at darkness. Blossompaw was just starting to get the hang of it when voices shattered the dream. She glanced around, trying to located the voices int he dark. It was Flint and Shiver, sitting in their nests a ways away. They were whispering, but it was loud enough to distinguish their words.

"Are you sure we should go through with this?" Flint asked Shiver, she nodded.

"It's only fair to help Blossompaw if she helps us,"

"That isn't what I meant. It isn't right of us to demand Blossompaw return to that cruel and horrid place, even if we do help her it return," Flint explained.

"There is no other way," Shiver remarked, ending the conversation. Blossompaw was surprised Flint had seemed concerned about her well being, he didn't want to make her go back. But as Shiver had said they had no other choice. It was time Blossompaw faced her fears, because she had not escaped yet - not really. Her mind was still trapped in that place, and only when it was destroyed would she be free.

_For Chance, _she thought solemnly. _For never treating him with the respect he deserved._

_For Sylvester, _the name tugged at her heart. _For leaving him behind as we fled._

_For Talia, _the image of the small dog came to mind all of a sudden. _Because she was the first to want to listen to more of my stories. _

_For Mylph, _she thought with a pain. _She was too young to experience those horrors._

_For me, _Blossompaw hadn't realized until that moment that facing the white coats again would do what she needed. When she has run from the pack she had continuously lied to herself about why she was fleeing. It wasn't to avoid spreading the sickness, it wasn't because of Adderfang's cryptic messages, it was because she was afraid. She was afraid to get close to others. She was afraid she'd lose them like she lost Ravenclan. _I will do this for me._

The first rays of sun moved over the horizon, illuminating the sky in oranges and hazy blues. The air held a chill too it and Blossompaw ruffled her fur to keep the cold at bay. She heard the soft padding of paw steps coming up behind her.

"Leaf bare is coming early," Flint mused. Blossompaw flicked her ears.

"I noticed," she surmised, but there was no sarcasm in her voice for once. Flint said nothing more and turned to wake Shiver. The orange and white she cat opened her green eyes lazily. She stood and stretched the stiffness from her muscles, shaking the cold from her pelt.

In silence the three trudged out of the meeting wall area, careful not to alert any other early risers of where they were going. The breeze was subtle but Blossompaw was frozen to her core. Shiver pressed her pelt against the smaller she cat knowingly and shot her a warm glance. Finally the silence was shattered by Flint. Although he spoke quietly his voice sounded rough against the tranquil calmness.

"What is the plan?" he remarked to Blossompaw. Her crystal like eyes hardened as the building came into view.

"We do whatever it takes to destroy it," he voice was unwavering as the facility loomed before them. "This ends now,"

* * *

**That must have been the crappiest cliffie in fanfiction history, seriously. **

**Anyhow I made a blog about yours truly. It features my fanfics and has little bonuses and story blurbs so check it out if you have the time and tell me what you think. The url is:**

**xbrizamariix(dawt)wix(dawt)com/brizamarii**


	9. Chapter 9

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Two: The Mission**

Getting inside was easier than expected. They new doors the white coats had to get after the dogs busted out were low quality. The swung open easily as Blossompaw nudged them with her front paws. The long hallway greeted her and she took a nervous step back. Flint nosed her shoulder, pushing her forward.

"We're right here beside you," he promised as the trio padded cautiously against the cold floors. Blossompaw was glancing around, but not because she was nervous the white coats would show up unexpectedly. She knew their schedule, they had plenty of time. She was simply looking for something they could use to bring the massive structure down.

"Maybe we should split up and look around?" Shiver suggested. Blossompaw hissed at the idea.

"Do you _want _to get captured? The only way we get out of here is if you follow me. I know my way around, you do not," she growled dangerously, she wasn't angry at Shiver, she was just on edge. The fur along her shoulders was bristling as memories washed over her. Then something struck her as the image of a cat popped into he head. Her heart hammered in her chest.

"This way," she ordered and rounded a corner. Flint and Shiver had to jog to keep up with her pace. Blossompaw froze as they reached another doorway. Her ears flattened against her head.

"What is it?" Flint demanded.

"Wait here until I signal you to come in, and don't wander off," she ordered and pushed her weight against the door, hearing it creak open.

Fear scent immediately filled her nose, but it was not her own. Her eyes adjusted to the harsh lighting hanging from the ceiling and she glanced up at the cages lining the walls. Her eyes focused on the cage she had spent moons trapped inside. And then her attention shifted to a cage where a black and white pelt slept unperturbed.

"Sylvester!" she cried. His head shot up in terror, the fear scent thickened. She ran over to his cage and pressed her nose against it, he did the same. She saw tears in his gaze.

"I thought...I thought the pack left me here," he whispered shakily.

"We came back," she answered resolutely. She signaled for Flint and Shiver to enter. The two cats cautiously poked their heads inside.

"Flint?" Sylvester called out to his old friend. Flint was rushing over.

"I knew it! I knew you were still alive," Flint breathed in shock as he stared at Sylvester. Blossompaw struggled to remember how they opened the cage doors from the outside. Hadn't she pushed a pin up with her paws?

She tried it and an audible click filled the room. Sylvester's cage door swung open and he burst fourth. He immediately stretched his legs by running around the room, getting his first taste of freedom since the capture.

Shiver helped Blossompaw quickly scope the room for other animals the pack had left behind. In total there was three cats and two dogs that remained.

"Go down the long hallway and push against the door, you'll be out in seconds," she directed them. The cluster of animals looked almost skeptical.

"Where is the pack?" one dog barked hopefully.

"If you want to find the pack follow the main thunderpath to a forest. When you see the river walk upstream until you reach a field with a giant rock structure, that's where they are,"

Without hesitation the other animals sprinted towards their escaped. Only Sylvester remained behind.

"What are you waiting for? Go!" Blossomapw urged, but he remained next to Flint - his brown eyed gaze flicking around.

"Why aren't you coming with us?" Sylvester demanded. This time Flint answered his friend.

"We have business we need to take care of, go the meeting wall and I'll see you there,"

"Not without you and Blossompaw!" he declared and made a scene and sitting firmly on the ground.

"Please Sylvester, I don't want you to get hurt," the white apprentice pleaded, her blue eyes were wide. Sylvester wasn't budging.

"I can help," he declared and turned his nose up.

"You don't even know what we're doing," Shiver rolled her glassy green eyes. She was clearly fed up with Sylvester's antics. He was only slowing them down.

"Then tell me!" Sylvester exclaimed.

"We're wasting time, come with us or don't - but don't slow us down," Blossompaw sighed and flicked her tail for them to follow her. They walked cautiously out of the cage filled room, scoping the hallways for any twolegs.

"We still have a few hours before the white coats will come around for their daily testing," Blossompaw explained as they continued walking. She heard Flint whisper a hurried explanation to Sylvester as they walked. She pretended not to hear Sylvester exclaim how stupid they all were.

"I understand a rescue mission, getting me and the others out...but _this?! _It's ludicrous!"

Blossompaw frowned, perhaps he was right. How would they even accomplish destroying an entire twoleg structure beyond repair? Flint and Shiver were too stubborn to listen to reason though, and if Blossompaw couldn't do the impossible they wouldn't help her.

"Thanks a lot Ashstar," she grumbled under her breath, annoyed with the ancient leader for choosing her to rebuild his clan. Blossompaw glanced back and saw Flint's eyes narrowing, he stopped walking abruptly.

"I smell...smoke,"

"That wouldn't be smoke, that's ash. You kind of become desensitized to the smell after moons of captivity," Sylvester shrugged. Blossompaw trembled, realizing what the ash smell was.

_Chance, he mentioned that before, didn't he? The twolegs burned the dead animals. The ash smell is bodies being cremated. What had Chance called it...a furnace? _Thoughts tumbled around in Blossompaw's head and she couldn't shake them out.

"Blossompaw," voices whispered in her ears, evil voices. Their whispers were deadly.

"Go away!" she cried, claws unsheathing. She felt something wet beneath her claws, blood. The feeling of blood snapped her out of the flashback. She glanced around wildly, breathing ragged. Her eyes locked onto Flint's muzzle, drops of crimson were oozing out of it, he had a look of surprise on his face.

"She's insane," he growled to Shiver. His sister didn't disagree.

"We shouldn't have asked her to do this," Shiver admitted and prepared to turn around.

"Come, we don't have much time," Blssompaw stated simply as if she hadn't heard Flint and Shiver speak. Her ears were twitching as she walked, she was acutely aware of the red tracks she was leaving. Sylvester caught up to her fast pace and nudged her shoulder. He was the only one who understood, he knew the horrors. He knew she wasn't insane, just afraid.

"Where are you going?" he murmured.

"The furnace," she responded in an off manner, her voice cracking. Sylvester nodded in understanding. The black and white fur on his shoulders raised slightly with agitation. He knew what her plan was by the way she said those words. She was going to turn on the furnace and hopefully catch the building on fire

"Will it work?" he said quieter, looking back at Flint and Shiver.

"It has too. But you need to get yourself and them out of here. If anything goes wrong, _anything, _I'll die. I'd rather not take you all with me,"

Sylvester didn't protest this time. He licked Blossompaw's forehead and caught her eye.

"Promise I'll see you again," he mewed. Blossompaw nodded, "You will," she vowed. They held each others gaze for a mere moment longer before Blossompaw took off running, making sure Flint and Shiver couldn't follow. She heard Sylvester telling them to follow him out of the building. Blossompaw focused on the task ahead, forcing the image of the three cats out of her head.

It's not like she actually expected she'd she them again. She knew she was going to die. After all, her plan was to blow the building up.

She wouldn't be escaping this time.


	10. Chapter 10

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Two: The Mission**

Cautiously she explored the building, pushing down her fears with each pawstep. Images rolled through her mind and she was unable to stop them. Flashbacks filled her heart as she proceeded down the long and narrow halls.

_Fighting with Chance before running away..._

_Telling the others stories to help them sleep at night..._

_Abandoning Sylvester..._

All of those memories, all of those experiences, it all led up to this. This moment where she would finish something that never should have been started. It appeared as if someone else would have to save Ashclan, cause there was no turning back now. She reached the end of the corridor, a large doorway loomed before her. The smell of death lingered, she knew this was the furnace room.

In the blink of an eye the flashbacks were gone, she was almost a blank slate as she pushed the door open and entered the room. Whisper and Shiver and Flint were at the very back of her mind as she scanned the room.

"Alright Blossompaw, time to end this," she murmured to herself. The metal grate beneath her paws was hard and sliced her sensitive pads. But she didn't dare stop to lick them because of the ashes clinging to her bloody paws. The grate felt warm, she glanced down and saw embers beneath it. There were no windows in the room, it was like a small box. Her ears flattened with every second she spent in the room.

"How am I supposed to turn this thing on?"

She poked her head out of the room again, scanning the halls for any twolegs. Her attention was caught by a panel of sorts next to the door. She bunched her muscles in her hindquarters and sprang, landing not so gracefully on the panel. She frowned as a series of glowing button flashed brightly at her. "What one, what one?"

She decided to press them all and hope for the best. As her paw pushed down on the center white button a wave of heat blasted her. It was enough to make her fall from the panel. She blinked and looked into the furnace room, the dimming embers were now growing as waves of heat flooded from the room. Suddenly a blaring alarm went off and Blossomapw shrieked in terror. She noted it was only the panel, it was probably a warning system that the door was still open.

Fire began to reach up through the metal grated floors and Blossomapw fled down the hallway, she stopped at the end to wait. She wasn't leaving until she saw the building catch fire. Slowly the flames traveled outside the room - the wooden walls ignited in a frenzy. Within minutes the whole hallway was ablaze in a scorching inferno. Blossompaw quickly began seeking out an exit but found herself hopelessly lost. She was about to turn around when she saw something outside one of the hall windows.

Sylvester was outside with Shiver and Flint, they were standing on the grass and arguing. Blossompaw waved her tail, trying to grab their attention but they didn't look up at her. Suddenly Flint shot forward, looking as if he was heading back inside. Sylvester moved to block him and Shiver took the chance to sneak past Sylvester and head back inside. Shiver was coming to get her.

They were both going to burn.

"Leave me!" she shouted but knew they couldn't hear her through the glass. Her lungs began to itch uncomfortably as the smoke reached her. The fire was spreading faster than she anticipated. She began moving again, trying different doors and halls for some place that lead outside. She heard something faintly, it sounded like gasping.

"Shiver?" she called out. She pricked her ears, listening.

"B-Blossompaw?" a ragged voice sounded through the smoke. Without a seconds hesitation Blossompaw dove into the thick of the smoke. Shiver was leaning against a wall, coughing miserably. Blossompaw wondered briefly whys he wasn't as affected by the smoke, she realized it was because of the tortures she had endured. It had made her stronger.

She grabbed Shiver by the scruff and dragged her away from the descending smoke.

"I thought Sylvester told you I was doing this alone,"

"He did...but when we saw the smoke coming out of the building we knew you were in trouble," she rasped ruefully. Blossomapw didn't have time to debate the matter, they needed to get out before the fire blocked all of their exits. As she glanced around it appeared they were already too late. She felt a nudge on her shoulder. She glanced at Shiver who was on the brink of falling unconscious.

"Win...dow," she managed. Blossompaw saw no other conceivable options. They could still die in the fall, but it would beat the other alternative. Blossompaw propped Shiver up against the window before stepping back.

"I'm going to throw my weight against the window. If it shatters we will both freefall, try to land on your feet," she instructed. She closed her eyes before surging forward. Her shoulder made contact first, she felt it being sliced open as the glass broke. She tumbled out the window with Shiver, her eyes fluttered open briefly as the world slipped out of her vision. She felt a cool breeze on her back and couldn't help but marvel at how expansive the twoleg city in the distance was.

Then everything went dark.

* * *

"They'll be fine," a familiar voice said soothingly.

"They jumped out of a twoleg den and plummeted to the ground, and then the entire building collapsed into flames," another cat responded in a disbelieving tone.

"Look, Blossompaw is already coming around,"

Blossompaw groaned with pain, she felt as if she'd been hit by a monster on the thunderpath and then chewed up and spit out by a badger. Her eyes opened groggily and she stared up into three imploring faces.

"Wh-uh? Herm...ump," Blossompaw tried to speak but her head was spinning and her jaw felt swollen.

"She hit her head...hard," Flint said in what was almost a joking manner.

"How do you fell?" Sylvester asked while helping her to her paws. She didn't bother responding to that question. She glanced at and orange lump to her left, Shiver hadn't woken up yet apparently.

"How is she?" Blossompaw rasped while directing her gaze to Shiver.

"Fine, like I keep saying," Whisper rolled his eyes. "She'll come around in another minute or two, she's just resting,"

Flint was skeptical as he watched dutifully over his sister.

"Once Shiver and I are both alright I think we should start our quest beyond the city," Blossompaw changed the subject. Flint gave her a confused look.

"I destroyed the twoleg building, now I'm holding you to your promise to help me," Flint blinked as it dawned on him the contract he was now bound too.

"Oh yeah, that,"

* * *

**Here is my Review challenge for you guys. Tell me...**

**A. Who your favorite character is. **

**B. Who your least favorite character is.**

**C. Who is a character you'd like to see more of.**


	11. Chapter 11

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Two: The Mission**

"You made a deal, she held her part of it," Whisper stated calmly while sorting through herbs. Blossompaw smirked in Flint's direction while Shiver rolled her eyes.

"But how are we supposed to build a clan or whatever it's called?" Flint whined.

"And how did you expect me to burn down a twoleg building?" Blossompaw fired back. Whisper was trying to contain a smile, observing the bickering alongside Shiver.

"Flint we don't have a choice. A promise is a promise," Shiver finally interjected before claws could come out. Flint frowned but didn't say anything further. He knew Shiver was right, even though she wasn't keen to help either. Blossompaw eyed the siblings uneasily. Without Whisper accompanying them on their journey she doubted the peace would remain for long. She shook out her rumpled fur and began to speak.

"Our first order of business is to try and find anyone that knows anything about Ashclan. Ashstar said his clan was fading, not gone. And Adderfang showed me a vision of a blue twoleg nest, but I don't know where it is,"

"How are we supposed to find them?" Shiver questioned, her soft green eyes imploring.

"Twoleg place around here is small, I think we should head towards the large twoleg place," Blossompaw shrugged. The old neighborhood and the meeting wall were run down and had little more than a few loners roaming the thunderpaths.

"The city? You are crazy," Flint snapped. Blossompaw looked to Whisper to back her up but the old cat remained silent.

"It's my decision, and you have to help me," she growled, settling the decision.

"Think it through Blossompaw. There are lots of rogues there...any self respecting cat wouldn't ever join the city gangs. Plus there's Niko and Shane to contend with," Shiver explained, hoping to deter Blossompaw's next course of action. The white furred apprentice had all but dismissed her words, although she felt a prick on anxiety at the mention of Shane and Niko. She'd only heard small fragments about the two cats, all she knew was that they were far from good.

"We head to the city now, we can reach it before nightfall,"

* * *

She walked confidently, her white paws browned with dirt striding leisurely on the outskirts of the city. Shiver and Flint had made camp by what they called a trash pile. It was a heap of twoleg junk, swarming with mice. Blossompaw wrinkled her nose in recolection of the tash pile. Howeevr it was the safest place to be, the cat gangs didn't get close enough to find them. Apparently the smell had its upsides. Blossompaw had scouted the outer limits of the city, looking for the best route to pass through. She wanted to speak with cats and ask about Ashclan, all without alerting the cat gangs she was there. Silverpelt glistened overhead and the moon was already at its highest peak.

"Adderfang, what am I doing?" she whispered while staring at the glowing orbs in the sky, as if they would speak back to her. She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. A hint of her fathers scent tinged the breeze. It was a subtle message, but she believed he was telling her to press on.

_Flint and Shiver will come around eventually, once they see what clan life is all about they might even join. If I ever find anyone who know's about the clans that is...maybe they were right about the city. _

Her thoughts were becoming more worrisome and she headed back to camp. As the trashpile came into view she heard Shiver and Flint speaking in hushed tones. She could tell something was wrong and flattened herself to the ground to listen.

"She's rude and naive, she'll get us killed in there," Flint was saying to Shiver. His sister let out a frustrated sigh.

"We can take care of ourselves, its Blossomapw I'm worried about. She doesn't know a thing about the cat gangs. Or Niko and Shane for that matter,"

"We have a good thing going at the meeting wall. I'm not letting her run us into a death trap,"

_Oh my Starclan...they are talking about going back on their promise! I never should have helped those flea bitten loners, _Blossompaw thought angrily. She was not naive, she had her warrior ancestors watching over her and a dire mission to complete. She needed to find the blue twoleg nest before it was too late.

"If you want to leave, just go. I can't make you keep your word and liars like yourselves will only slow me down anyway," Blossompaw announced her presence to them. Her voice was eerily calm even though rage was bubbling inside her.

"You can't make it though the city without a guide," Shiver said simply, but she wasn't offering to stay either. Blossompaw had no response, knowing the orange and white she cat was probably right. Her and Shiver both looked at Flint at the same time, it looked like it was his call to make. Would they leave or stay?

Without a word Flint stood up and flicked his tail, beckoning Shiver to follow. His sister looked at him before glancing back at the stunned Blossompaw. Shiver padded after Flint with her head hung low. Their green eyes disappeared into the shadows.

"Traitors!" Blossompaw cried out once they were out of her vision. Her eyes blurred with tears and she felt more hopeless than ever. She didn't realize how much their abandonment had hurt. She never got along well with Flint, but she had figured he would at least hold some honesty within him. And Shiver had become a close friend to her, at least she thought they were close. She felt like Smogfoot in that moment, her friends turning their backs on her desire the rebuild Ashclan.

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts she didn't notice the cat creeping up behind her.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" a silky smooth voice purred, his voice was deadly soft but sounded like he was right next to her ear. Blossompaw spun around. A large tom stared at her a few fox lengths away. His pelt was a sleek amber color, his eyes were darker than the night sky. Blossompaw unsheathed her claws, she could handle this cat if it came to a fight, Adderfang had trained her. Suddenly three more cats appeared in her line of sight, they were moving behind her to try and surround her.

_"Blossompaw!" _a panicked voice said in her ear. It was Adderfang. _"Run!"_

She charged forward, the amber colored tom looked like he was bracing for a collision, he licked his fangs hungrily. She took a flying leap and soared over his head. She tumbled to the ground but quickly regained her footing and took off into the city. The rough thunderpath scraped at her pads but she ignored the sting.

"After her!" the silky voice ordered. She heard heavy paws behind her and she forced her legs to move faster. The group of cats were much larger than her and seemed to gain on her easily, but they never attacked. When they seemed to be coming up on her right she'd turn left. When one would nip at her left flank she'd turn right. She realized only a second too late they were herding her.

She skid to a stop and glanced at the brick was before her, the end of the alley. It loomed high beyond her jumping limits. She was trapped. She turned around and her blue eyes widened at the advancing group of cats.

"You're a long way from the South end of town,"the amber tom smirked, his cronies aligned next to him and formed a barricade.

"What should we do with her, Shane?" a male tabby crooned in delight. _Shane? This is the cat they were trying to warn me about? I should have listened to them, I drove them away and now no one knows where I am. _

Suddenly a dark shadow sailed overhead from behind the wall, landing in between Blossompaw and the group of rogues. A large dog barked at the cats who warily stepped back. His fur was tousled and gleamed white with golden brown spots. His turned his head back at Blossompaw, one blind eye winked at her.

"Chance?" she gasped in shock. The old dog snorted with humor before turning back to Shane.

"Long time no see, eh?"

* * *

**Okay I know you all were excited for the journey of journiness with Shiver and Flint. So tell me...**

**A. Are you surprised by them not upholding their end of the detail?**

**B. Do you think she'll ever see them again?**

**C. Are you glad Chance is back?**


	12. Chapter 12

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Two: The Mission**

Blossompaw and chance sat in the alleyway while Blossompaw checked Chance over for wounds. He had several deep punctures in his legs where Shane's snarling cats had bit him. But in the end they were no match for the giant dog, despite him being old and blind in one eye. They had fled before the fight could get much darker, but they would be back.

"We have to keep moving," Blossompaw urged while glancing around in paranoia, as if a cat would leap out at any moment and grab her. Chance snorted and flopped onto his side.

"I'm an old dog, I ain't going nowhere,"

Blossompaw frowned in annoyance but didn't have any choice other than to stay with him and stand guard. She watched dutifully, her blue eyes peeled for any signs of Shane's return. Her paws kneaded the smooth ground anxiously.

"How did you find me?" she blurted.

"Wasn't you I was lookin for exactly, I was lookin for Via. I stumbled across your scent and followed it into the city, just in time too," he explained.

"Chance I'm sorry," Blossompaw blurted and wrenched her eyes away from the ground to meet his gaze. It was more gentle than she expected, it held none of the resentment it carried when she left him and the pack.

"Did you find what you were lookin for?" he asked softly.

"Not yet...how's the pack?" she asked with a quick change of subject. She didn't want to delve into the topic of Flint and Shiver just yet.

"They're good, a real family now. They can handle themselves Blossompaw, you don't need to worry about any more night terrors for them. It's you I'm worried about. What were you doin in the middle of the city at night anyways?"

"I wasn't alone," Blossompaw defended herself. Chance eyed her suspiciously.

"Well where are these companions now then?" he pried. Blossompaw hung her head in shame. There was no point in hiding anything from Chance, he'd see right through her lies.

"I drove them away. I was such a mouse brain!" she growled at herself. Chance remained silent, but it was a cue to go on.

"After I left I found a small twoleg place. These two siblings named Flint and Shiver sort of took me in. Their old friend Whisper helped cure my sickness. I was getting dreams from my father and another cat from Starclan. They needed my help in a mission to rebuild Ashclan,"

"From the stories?" Chance said, bewildered. Blossompaw nodded and continued.

"I made a deal with Shiver and Flint that I would destroy the testing facility. If I succeeded they would help me rebuild Ashclan and act as my guides through the city. I managed to burn the evil place down, but Shiver and Flint were anything but thrilled to hold their end of the bargain. Whisper convinced them to keep their promise and we headed out to the city. I was so caught up in this thought of saving a clan, I was so hostile and pretentious, I would've gotten us all killed. I drove them away,"

"You have a habit of doing that," Chance remarked. He stood up and shook out his ragged pelt, his joints popping. "Only thing to do now is continue on,"

"So then you'll help me?" Blossompaw asked eagerly. Chance nodded with a slight smirk.

"But if you try any of that sass on me I'll knock you upside the head," he warned. Blossompaw was too excited to care about his halfhearted threat. She jumped around his paws like a kit letting out squeals of delight.

"My my," a deep velvet voice purred. Blossompaw stopped her cheering immediately and spun around. It wasn't Shane, this was a she cat. And she was alone. Her fur looked as smooth as cream, but her eyes were dark and cold.

"A cat and dog, friends, how odd," she said dryly. Chance moved in front of Blossompaw, shielding her. But the creepy she cat made no advances. She simply stood and padded back down the alley way, leaving both Blossompaw and Chance very afraid.

"Niko," Blossompaw guessed. Shiver and Flint had mentioned both Shane and Niko as city threats. If they'd encountered Shane already this was undoubtedly his counterpart.

"Time to leave," Chance barked once Niko was out of sight. Blossompaw couldn't agree more. They hurried down the thunderpath to get out of the slums of the city and towards someplace relatively calmer. The two rounded another corner and ran full on into one of the cats who had fought them in the alleyway, he was small and gray - one of the first to flee. The cat turned to run but Blossompaw clamped her jaws around his tail and held him fast.

"You came back to finish us off?" Chance demanded. The cat shook his head wildly.

"No I was just supposed to make sure she left!"

"I will go wherever I want," Blossompaw hissed through a mouthful of tail fur.

"Not you! Niko!" the cat said in a panic. "She isn't supposed to be in our territory, it makes Shane real nervous. Her cats stick to the North side, we got the South. That was the deal. Someone spotted her wandering around and Shane sent me to make sure she wasn't planning on staying,"

"Yeah we saw her too. What does she want?" Chance said gruffly.

"There were two cats, a tom and she cat, seen around these parts. Shane takes the toms to fight in his gang, Niko gets the she cats to be a part of her fela. But the two were siblings of something and didn't wanna be separated. Shane just took em both and Niko came to claim the she cat," The cat explained as quickly as he could. Blossompaw mulled it over. Niko and Shane were not friends then, but enemies. The cat managed to wiggle out of Blossompaws grip and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"No use following after him," Chance sighed and began walking again. Blossompaw was rooted to the ground as his words replayed over and over again in her head. There was only two siblings she could think of that would refuse to leave each others sides.

"Shane got Flint and Shiver," she gasped in shock. They must not have made it out of the city before getting captured, and now they were both in Shane's clutches. But why would she help them again? They abandoned her in the city, if they had stuck together none of this would've happened. She saw a figure standing before her with the faintest outlines of stars in his paws. It was Ashstar, just as quickly as he came a breeze carried him away and shattered the vision.

"Flint and Shiver? Weren't those the cats who left you out here? Good riddance," Chance said gruffly.

"We have to rescue them," Blossompaw interrupted. Chance looked at her disbelievingly, but she didn't change her mind. _If Ashstar came to me it means he wants them. I trust his decisions better than my own,_ she thought to herself.

"How are we supposed to find them?" Chance demanded and twitched his tail. He was not enthusiastic about wasting energy and effort to save two furballs. But he would help Blossompaw if she thought they were important enough to be saved.

Blossompaw remained deep in thought. _Wherever Shane is keeping them would be close to his lair so his gang can keep an eye on their prisoners. It would be easy to access but hard to get out of. It could be anywhere in the South side of the city! There was only one way they could truly find out where the prisoners were being kept. _

"Easy," she smiled, whiskers twitching. "We surrender,"


	13. Chapter 13

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Two: The Mission**

Blossompaw and Chance hovered on the outskirts of the city so they could formulate a plan to rescue Flint and had to look believable, otherwise Shane and his cronies would suspect a trap.

"Shane won't want me since I'm a she cat, he only took Shiver because Flint would have fought for her," Blossompaw murmured. She glanced nervously around her as if spies were listening to their conversation.

"Shane would like to have me as a guard I'm sure, but there's no way he'd trust me if I just waltzed up to him and asked to serve," Chance said.

"You're right, volunteering is too suspicious. Unless of course you pledge your services for something in return..."

"I've got it!" Chance barked. He quickly lowered his voice and Blossompaw leaned in to hear.

"You'll have to hide out in the forest for a few days, and I know you hate being on the sidelines but I don't want you involved in this. I'll go back into the city and frantically 'search' for you. I'll go to Shane and say that you've been taken by Niko. I'll make a bargain, I serve him and he gets you back for me. This is plausible and he'll let me into his inner ranks. I'll find out where their prison is and rescue Flint and Shiver."

Blossompaw frowned, she definitely didn't want to let Chance do everything himself while she went half mad with wondering, but it was the best plan they had so far.

"I have to do _something_ to help out,"

"Letting me handle this alone is helping out, trust me. Now go, the sooner we get this done the better," Chance said and turned to head back into the city.

"Wait! What if I disguise myself with mud so my white fur in unrecognizable, I promise I won't get involved but I could still hide in the city and watch to make sure nothing goes wrong," Blossompaw looked at Chance hopefully, if he said no then that was that. She couldn't wait to rescue Flint and Shiver for too long otherwise something else might happen.

"Fine - try to find out more about Niko if you can," Chance conceded. Blossompaw buried her nose in his fur and whispered and quick goodbye before the pair split up. Chance disappeared quickly into the maze of alleyway's and thunderpaths. The white furred apprentice meanwhile located a pile of mud and rolled in it until she was coated head to toe. She wrinkled her nose at the fowl smell emitting from her once glossy coat, but at least no one would recognize her as the dogs friend.

"Ashstar those two mousebrains better be worth it," she grumbled and looked up towards the sky, the first stars of silverpelt glimmering through the red and orange clouds.

Blossompaw roamed the city, keeping to the shadows and hiding the second she saw another loner. After wandering all night and much of the next morning she saw a discernible marker. It was like the city was cut in half - she cats on one side and males on the other. She had crossed over to the North end, Niko's terf. Since she was a she cat she didn't have much to be worried about, she fit right in. But it was best not to draw to much attention to herself when asking about the boss.

Blossompaw froze as a gray tabby walked past her. The tabby didn't even glance up. Blossompaw forced her fur to lie flat she was getting paranoid.

"Hey!" she called out to the tabby.

"Do I know you?" the other cat asked and walked back over to Blossompaw.

"My name is, uh, Mylph!" Blossompaw blurted, remembering the small kit from the testing facility. The gray tabby blinked.

"You've got the wrong cat, sorry. I don't know any Mylphs."

"No I don't know you either. I mean I'm new to the city, I'm kind of lost," Blossompaw said, only partly lying.

"Well lucky for you you're in the North side, Niko and her fela will protect you from any obnoxious toms here. I'm Cookie, by the way,"

"Niko you said?" Blossompaw prompted.

"Boy you are new if you haven't heard of Niko yet," Cookie smirked.

"I've heard of her...I'm just curious is all," she shrugged, trying to look like she wasn't just gathering information.

"Well the story goes that Niko and Shane, he's the South end boss, used to be mates. Wild, isn't it? Anyway they got in a huge fight, which is odd because they had been really close. Niko took the two she cats of their litter and Shane got the two toms. They went to opposite ends of the city and laid their claim to the territory. Shane and Niko were always both strategic and charismatic. They worked their angle and both rallied forces, but as long as they leave each other alone the city streets are at peace,"

"I heard Niko went down to the South side of the city, what was that about?" Blossompaw asked, recalling the strangness of the cream furred cat.

"Well whenever a newbie like yourself moves into the city Niko or Shane recruit them, Niko always taking the femals and Shane taking the males. It's never been a problem, why wouldn't you join the side offering you food and asylum? But these two siblings apparently didn't want to be separated so Shane took them both. Niko got wind of it and wants the she cat,"

"Where is Shane keeping the siblings?" Blossompaw asked eagerly. Cookie glanced at her and Blossompaw quickly resorted back to her nonchalant face.

"If Niko knew she'd have gotten the she cat by now. Shane keeps his prisoners in a very secure location, probably in one of the abandoned buildings. What's with all the questions anyways?"

"Just curious is all. Thanks for your time," Blossompaw nodded and hurried away. Cookie called after her, "By the way you should really groom your fur! You smell like carrion!"

Blossompaw hurried towards the south and north border, she had to contact Chance and tell him about what she learned. Shiver and Flint could be in any number of buildings, but it narrowed the search a little bit. However she couldn't cross into North territory, it would be a dead giveaway and if Chance got caught it would be all her fault. She had to trust he knew what he was doing.


	14. Chapter 14

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Two: The Mission**

_Two days later..._

"We have to get out of the city, now!" Chance snarled, startling Blossompaw from her sleep. She groggily opened her eyes and Chance nudged her to her paws. She had been sleeping under a dumpster, it was a miracle Chance had even managed to find her in the middle of the night.

"What's going on?" she yawned and shook out her mud crusted fur. As her vision cleared she saw two figures standing behind the dog, Blossompaw was instantly awake as she recognized their gray and orange pelts. Two pairs of green eyes observed her before dropping their gazes to their paws. Before anyone could break the silence Chance was on the move, Blossompaw had no choice but to follow.

"How did you get them out? Why are we running? Chance!" Blossompaw shouted as the dog barreled down the thunderpath.

"First we get out of the city, then I'll talk," he barked and picked up the pace. The two siblings ran on the left of Chance while Blossompaw flanked his right, she noticed the distance Shiver and Flint were putting between her. It was obvious they were guilty, but it changed none of what had been said. She just hoped they could move past their fight and focus ont he goal at hand; saving Ashclan.

Blossmpaw heard hisses not too far behind. She risked a glance over her shoulder and saw Shane chasing after them with an army of cats.

_Two days earlier..._

Chance approached the building warily. He had been instructed by a passing rouge to find the ancient brick structure, half of it eaten away by fire. He hoped he hadn't been deceived, otherwise he was back to square one and time was crucial. Chance's ears perked up as he saw guard cats position around the open windows of the building. Guards was a good sign, it meant the building was important.

"Greetings," Chance rasped. "I have come to speak with your leader, Shane."

"No one sees Shane unless I say so," one of the guards laughed. Chance noticed several guards sneaking behind him. He watched their movements with his one good eye, hoping they wouldn't ambush him just yet.

"This is urgent, I need Shane's help," Chance growled. The guard blinked with disdain.

"Shane? Help you? Not likely dog."

"He'll be interested when he hears what I promise in return for his cooperation,"

The guard looked the older dog up and down. He nodded to another cat and jumped down from the window.

"Follow me," he instructed and guided Chance around the back. As they entered the building Chance had to blinks several time before his eye adjusted to the dark. He wrinkled his muzzle with disgust as he carefully stepped around the rotting carcasses of carrion. Boxes filled with trash littered the ground, groups of cats sat in shaded corners and talked in hushed tones, occasionally one would let out a crude laugh.

The guards led Chance up a flight of stairs, the creaked under his weight and the guards gave the dog more space. Once they reached the highest floor not affected by the fire they stopped. This floor was completely empty of cats, or anyone present was hiding. An arrangement of twoleg furniture was disheveled and turned over.

"Shane, we have a guest," the guard announced to the room. Shane jumped on top of a table from behind a chair. Chance quenched his surprised look and wondered how many guards were concealing themselves. Enough to stop him if need be, he guessed.

"I've been informed you have come here for my assistance," Shane sneered. "I'm not really the generous type," he added.

"I know, but you are the bargaining type. I will make you a deal," Chance offered. _Accept, please accept. Show me where you keep your prisoners!_

"I'm listening,"

"Your guards I'm sure have told you about their encounter with me and my cat friend. We got split up - Niko took Blossompaw. I want her back."

"As much as I love taking things from Niko, why should I endanger my guards on a rescue mission?" Shane asked, but he hadn't refused yet. He was waiting for Chance to propose something.

"I'll serve you if you bring Blossompaw back to me. I'm a strong as five of your best, my assistance would greatly benefit you," Chance shrugged, like Shane would be foolish to refuse.

"As tempting as that is I must say it's suspicious that a dog as strong as you wouldn't just march over to the South end and take your friend back yourself,"

"I wouldn't know where to begin looking, you Niko better than I do," Chance said with another shrug.

"Still, most of my guards are watching the prisoners. You know, stopping rebellion and escapes. If I took those guards to rescue this Blossompaw of yours, well that would be an issue," Shane pointed out.

"Then let me stand in as a guard, those cats will be too scared to try anything," Chance pleaded. Shane flicked his tail and the guards began leading Chance back out of the room. Chance knew better than to protest. Besides he had seen the look in Shane's eye when he thought of taking one of Niko's cats right from under her. That alone was enough to convince the boss, he would help Chance. But first he'd make a big deal of mulling it over.

Chance waited at the base level until just before nightfall, Shane's guards stood stoically around the dog until Shane reappeared.

"Alright, dog, I've reached a decision."

Chance closed his eyes and waited for the answer.

"I'm in a philanthropic mood today so I will assist you is rescuing your cat friend. But you must promise your services to me for six moons,"

Chance had no intention of ever keeping that deal, but he would agree just so Shane would help him. He nodded solemnly and Shane's whiskers twitched, his lips cured back in a grimace. Chance realized he was trying to smile.

"Right, Wulf and York will take you to the prison so I can take some of the guards with me on my mission,"

Two cat guards Chance noted were Wulf and York began guiding him to another abandoned building nearby. This building was much smaller, only two stories. The first floor was filled with guards. The second floor was where the prisoners were. Shane picked out the strongest of the guards, leaving about half behind to guard with Chance. Half was still too many for him to fight though. He couldn't protest otherwise Shane would get too suspicious, he would just somehow have to find away to get Flint and Shiver out.

Chance waited a good hour after Shane left with his forces. It was enough time to look the place over but not so long Shane would figure out he had been tricked. The guards weren't paying attention, half of them were asleep by now anyways. Chance carefully crept up the stairs, knowing he only had a few minutes of time.

The prison area was even more foul than where the guards sat. There was nowhere to go to the bathroom except the floor, the smell hit Chance like a wave. A wall of twoleg furniture was blocking the stairs so the prisoners couldn't get down. Only a small gap allowed food to be sent in. Chance shouldered the pile and it lurched dangerously. He froze and waited for the guards to come rushing at him but nothing happened. Chance pushed against the pile again the items shifted enough for him to crawl over and into the prison den.

Hundreds of faces stared at him in shock and terror. The cats scattered for coverage among the boxes.

"Flint! Shiver!" Chance called out to the suddenly empty room. The cats had gotten fairly skilled at hiding. Chance pricked his ears as he heard whispers coming from inside on of the many boxes. He peered inside and saw a tom and a she cat bickering softly. They froze once they saw him.

"Are you Flint and Shiver?" Chance asked.

"No," the tom said quickly. Too quickly.

"Nice try," Chance snorted. "Now let's get out of here."

"Who are you?" The she cat, Shiver, demanded. The dog didn't reply, but Flint and Shiver exited the hiding place.

"Getting past the guards is going to be tricky, but I have a plan," Chance murmured and took a few steps away from the wall of twoleg furniture.

"We asked, who are you?" Flint growled. Chance sighed, he could see they wouldn't be complying unless he explained.

"Alright we have probably less than a minute to get out of here before the other guards notice I'm no longer at my post. My name is Chance, I was from the testing facility. Blossompaw sent me to rescue you your worthless flea brains,"

"...Blossompaw?" Flint said in shock. Shiver rounded on her brother with narrowed eyes.

"I told you she wouldn't abandon us!" Shiver said haughtily.

"Like you abandoned her?" Chance pointed out. Both cats couldn't meet his gaze. By now the other prisoners had figured out Chance was instigating an escape and wanted in on it.

"Okay the plan is we are all going to make a bunch of noise and draw the guards of the stairs. I'm going to knock over the wall on them and everyone runs for it," Chance instructed. Instantly the prison den was filled with caterwauls and shouts. Chance heard the guards angrily rushing up the stairs, he took another step back before charging the wall. He collided with a sound like a clap of thunder. The pile shuddered and toppled down the stairs, crushing some of the guards.

A flood of cats jumped over the landmine of furniture and disappeared into the night. Chance licked his oozing shoulder and regained his bearings. Flint and Shiver followed him as they made their escape.

"Where is Blossompaw?" Shiver asked once they were back on the streets.

"She should be in Niko's territory, I'll try and pick up her scent," Chance said. There wasn't really another choice, they had to get out of the city. Once Shane realized Blossompaw wasn't being kept prisoner by Niko he would find out Chance had lied. And he would not be very happy. The group rounded a corner and came face to face with Shane and his army.

"Chance," Shane growled. "You crossed the wrong cat."

"Run!" Chance shouted and turned on his heels. Flint and Shiver didn't need to be told twice. They fled like they were on fire, but Shane pursued them with cats who knew the city like the back of their paw. However Shane's cats were tired and beaten from scrapping with Niko's forces. Chance wove down every backstreet and alley in an effort to shake the cat gang but they were always right behind. Chance caught a whiff of a familiar scent as they neared the border. The smell was cloaked with mud but Chance recognized it. He followed it to its source and found Blossompaw asleep under a dumpster.

"We have to get out of the city, Now!"


	15. Chapter 15

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Two: The Mission**

Early dawn light spilled over the horizon, bathing the group in a golden glow. Blossompaw yawned, her jaws stretching wide. She shook out her rumpled fur and stood up, carefully maneuvering around the tangle of her sleeping friends so she wouldn't wake them. After they fled the city Shane gave up the pursuit. He couldn't leave his own territory for too long without risk of an usurper. Never the less if they weren't careful they would wind up being attacked or killed. Which is why they wouldn't be going back into the twoleg place, they would simply have to look elsewhere for Ashclan.

Blossompaws nose twitched as the scent of rabbit caught her attention. She glanced around, searching for the source of the scent. After determining her friends were safe where they slept she stalked to the east, following the trail of an oblivious rabbit. She spotted it grazing uphill, nibbling away at clovers.

"You'll never catch any prey with that stance," a voice whispered behind her. She glanced over her shoulder at Flint, his green eyes were imploring. She wondered if this was his attempt at making peace.

"This seems a lot like how we first met," she said with a twitch of her whiskers.

"Tell you what, I promise to help you catch that rabbit if this time around your don't chew my ear off with your remarks," he offered.

"Deal."

Flint crept around the other side of the hill. After waiting for the cue Blossompaw charged upward with a caterwaul. The rabbit looked at her in alarm and bounded away, straight into Flint's waiting paws. He nipped the back of the rabbits neck swiftly and the pair trotted back toward the group with the fresh prey. Chance and Shiver were just starting to wake up as they strode into their makeshift camp. It was under the shade of a tree. But the whole clearing was small and definitely not a place to stay for very long, twoleg place was still in view.

"Yum!" Shiver exclaimed when she saw the rabbit. Blossompaw nodded for her to take the first bite. Shiver gratefully tore off a chunk of the rabbit before passing it onto Chance who copied her and passed it down the line. Once it was no more than a pile of bones they moved on, strolling leisurely through the clearing.

"There's a forest up ahead, I'm not sure how extensive it is though. I've never really ventured that far away from the meeting wall before," Shiver said.

"We'll check it out. Remember, don't be hostile towards rogues and loners. We need to ask around for anyone who knows anything about that clans," Blossompaw instructed. It wasn't long before the first cat crossed their path. It was a fertile forest, Blossompaw was certain many cats called it home. Once the small brown she cat caught sight of Chance she sprinted away.

"Wait! Please!" Blossompaw shouted. The brown cat scurried up a pine tree, her head poking through the branches like an owl. "We won't hurt you, we're just a little lost."

"The city is that way," the brown cat said in lifted her face from the direction they came.

"We aren't looking for the city, we are looking for a group of cats. Perhaps you've heard of them...they are called Ashclan," Blossompaw explained hopefully. Ashstar had never emphasized whether or not she was looking for scattered loners of an actual group. If it was the latter it made their whole job a lot easier.

"Sorry I haven't heard anything about an Ash clan," the brown cat shrugged. Blossompaw nodded with a frown and called the group away from the cat, they went deeper into the forest. The more inland they went the less cats they encountered. Every rogue who was willing to talk to them knew nothing about the missing clan.

Then Blossompaw smelled salt. Her nose twitched with recognition. Where there was salt on the breeze it meant the sea was nearby. She felt a pang of longing for Seaclan, the clan neighboring Ravenclan. She picked up the pace, driving the group towards the ocean. The forest was much bigger than she originally predicted, it stretched on for miles all around. If what remained of Ashclan had sequestered themselves here it would take a miracle to find them.

"Flint! Shiver!" a voice called out in the distance. The group was on guard instantly, they formed a close knit circle and scanned the trees around them. Two shapes stood in the distance, and they were moving closer. Blossompaw blinked as she saw the svelte black and white shape of her old friend as well as the stoic figure of Whisper.

"Sylvester and Whisper!" she said urgently to the group. She raced forward to meet the two tom cats, her hurt bursting with happiness. "I thought you were staying at the meeting wall!" she cried as she buried her nose in Sylvester's scruff. Whisper embraced Flint and Shiver who looked at the old medicine cat in stunned silence.

"We would have stayed there too, but word travels fast in twoleg place. We heard you pissed off Shane enough he called up an army of cats to hunt you down. We came to warn you, you weren't hard to find either. No one would forget the ground with a dog wandering through the woods," Whisper laughed with no humor in his voice. This was serious. Shane hadn't given up quite so easily.

"Will you join us?" Blossompaw asked hopefully.

"Of course. Besides its too dangerous to return to the city right now. Niko isn't pleased either about the fiasco. You've made quite the powerful enemies," Sylvester cautioned.

"We'll lay low for awhile. But my main concern right now is not the city bosses. Its finding Ashclan."

Blossompaw once again took the lead with Flint and Sylvester on either side of her. Shiver and Whisper chatted in the middle of the pack and Chance kept a lookout on the rear. They spent the whole day moving through the forest and hadn't reached the ocean yet. If Shane really was coming for them they would have to chase them for quite awhile. And Shane would never leave his half of the city defenseless to Niko for more than a night.

"Let's make camp here. I'll keep the first watch. In the morning we hunt and then keep moving," Blossompaw declared. They settled down around the base of a pine tree, making nests out of nettles. Blossompaw watched diligently but there was no need. She noticed after some time that Whisper was still awake. His gray head was turned back so he could watch the stars.

"What are you doing?" she asked as quietly as possible. He got up and sat next to her, his eyes never leaving the sky.

"I'm reading the stars. They tell the future you know. That past too. But they never reveal everything, the stars like to keep secrets," he said ominously.

"How did you get those abilities in the first place? You aren't a medicine cat, but you know the ways of the clans," Blossompaw pried.

"I'll tell you my story someday. But for now I just can't," he sighed. Blossompaw nodded in understanding. There were some things that just were too hard to relive. Blossompaw wasn't ready to discuss the testing facility with anyone yet, and she doubted she ever would be.

"You get some rest, I'll keep watch."


	16. Chapter 16

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Three: The Clan**

Unusual was the only way to describe what came next. After they woke up from their second night as fugitives from the city they wasted no time in hunting. Whisper had a 'feeling' as he put it, that they were getting close. Unanimously they decided whatever they were looking for was by the ocean. It was the perfect spot for a group of cats to live, that's why Seaclan had claimed their territory on the beaches. Whose to say Ashclan hadn't done the same after the volcano erupted?

But the closer they got to the ocean the more the environment changed into something none of them had any practice with. The trees thinned out, but only because the undergrowth had taken over the whole landscape. The bushes were so thick nothing could be seen a foxlength away but a bramble thicket or high grasses.

"Are we even heading in the right direction?" Shiver demanded as her pelt was torn at mercilessly by a thorn patch.

"I can smell the ocean, we have to be," Blossompaw said firmly. After a few more moments of bref struggling the group broke free of the massive undergrowth and spilled out onto the beach. It was nothing like Seaclan.

"What the..." Sylvester mumbled in confusion. There were trees on the beach, trees growing straight out of the water! Their massive roots jut out of the ground so the whole beach was covered in their tangled confusion.

"Mangrove trees. They thrive in tidal areas like this, oysters like to live in their roots," Whisper remarked like this didn't surprise him in the least.

"Oysters? What's that?" Chance barked, his dappled coat was being weighed down by the heavy mud and he backed up a few paces onto drier sand. The old dog glanced around, trying to keep everyone in sight of his good eye.

"A sea creature, they live in hard shells," Whisper explained. "Lets keep walking down the beach."

Blossompaw and the others wove their way through the mangrove forest. They couldn't get over their awe, it was unlike anything they had ever seen before. After what seemed like hours of walking they came to a rock wall. A slight pathway allowed them to scale the cliff and reach the top. Up above the area was somewhat familiar. Blossompaw recognized maple and pine trees as well as cherry blossoms. She heaved a sigh of relief, feeling more at home already.

The cliffs overlooked the whole ocean, Blossompaw could see the mangroves below and the dense forest behind. She could almost feel the presence of Ashclan. Gentle waves lapped at the base of the cliff, the tide was beginning to come in and the mangroves were overwhelmed with water. The only way to continue was deeper into the forest. She gave one last look at the mangroves below, as stunning as they were it was no home for cats. Especially with the changing tides.

"We are getting close," she said eagerly.

"Tell me more about the clans. I loved hearing your stories at the testing place," Sylvester nudged her playfully. Blossompaw nudged her friend back. She was so glad he and Whisper decided to come with them. They all had a lot to learn about the clans way of life, but subconsciously they already were one. Whisper was their medicine cat, Blossompaw was their leader, Chance was deputy, and Flint Shiver and Sylvester were warriors in their own nature. But Ashstar had not asked her to build her own clan, he had asked her to save his.

"Have I ever told you the story of how the glowing cave was formed? That was our meeting place with Starclan," she laughed, feeling actually happy. She couldn't remember the last time she had that sensation. Blossompaw talked as they walked, but the more involved they became with her stories the less they were noticing their surroundings.

"Flowerfeet, look at this," Flint said suddenly. Blossompaw stopped talking, finding herself not even annoyed with his nickname. She glanced at Flint, trying to see what he was looking at. His orange and gray neck was craned back, his green eyes focused on the canopy of branches and leaves above. Blossompaw copied him, her blue eyes drifting upwards. She let out a little gasp as she saw what he had been looking at.

They were standing beneath a cluster of cherry trees, soft pink petals fluttered downward in the breeze. And the air was filled with musical notes of the hundreds of song birds jumping from branch to branch. She had never before seen so many birds in one area.

"This was an orchard long ago, twolegs grew fruit here," Chance grumbled. But even he looked slightly amazed.

"And now it's growing prey," Shiver said, giddy. She was right, all the birds had gathered in the cherry trees for the fruit. The orchard as Chance had called it was literally growing prey for them.

"There has to be loners or rogues around her somewhere, no one could pass up hunting grounds this good," Blossompaw noted.

"We haven't seen any loners in awhile though. Which means there are cats guarding this territory," Flint added. Everyone reached the conclusion at the same time.

"Which means whatever is left of Ashclan is here, their camp could be just outside of the orchard," Whisper said. The group cautiously continued forward, looking for any sign of a clan. Blossompaw tried to remember Adderfang and Ashstar's words exactly. They had said Ashclan was fading and losing their way of life. But perhaps they still remembered the warrior code. Perhaps this wasn't an impossible task after all.

Blossompaw spotted something in the distance, a few hundred fox lengths away. She squinted her eyes and was surprised to discover it was an old twoleg nest. Even from far away she could tell no twoolegs had lived there for generations. It was light blue in color like a robins egg. Trees had grown right through the structure and she was sure the whole thing was on the brink of collapse. She held up her tail for silence an the others nodded in understanding. They began creeping towards the nest.

"What are we doing?" Sylvester whispered in confusion. A red blur darted in front of the group. Blossompaw reared back, certain a fox was attacking.

"Trespassing in what you are doing," the creature said. Once Blossompaw got a better look she determined it was not in fact a fox, but a cat. He had rusty colored fur and a dark brown muzzle.

"I apologize. My companions and I have journeyed far on a quest. What is your name?" Blossompaw said diplomatically. The cat looked her up and down, deciding if she posed a threat or not.

"I'm called Foxtooth."

It was like when the clouds parted after a rainstorm and the sun warmed the fur of all the forest animals. Blossompaw eagerly looked back at her friends. They were all smiling.

"A warriors name," Whisper said at last, breaking the silence. Foxtooth cocked his head to the side.

"I don't really care why you are here, but you better be leaving. This is my territory," he snapped. Now it was Blossompaw's turn to look confused.

"Just your territory? Are there any other warriors here? Where is your leader?" she rambled off question after question.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Now go," he said with threat behind his words. Blossompaw was about to object when Flint rested his tail on her shoulder and guided her away from the cat.

"Sorry to have bothered you," Flint apologized. Blossompaw looked at Flint in horror.

"We can't have come all this way just to give up when one cat tells us to leave!"

"We aren't giving up. But Foxtooth is right, this isn't out territory and we are trespassing. To him it looks like we brought an army, we have a dog with us for crying out loud. We'll make camp back by the cliff overlooking the mangroves. Give him time to prepare himself and in the morning you and an escort can go explain what you are doing here. But how would it look if we forced him to take us to his camp and tell him we were in control because Starclan said so," Flint explained. Blossompaw reluctantly admitted there was truth to his words.

Blossompaw called everyone to follow her back to the cliffs. Foxtooth watched them go before turning and disappearing into the undergrowth. While the others hunted and slept, Blossompaw spent the whole night creating a plan to speak to Foxtooth and any others with him. She would go only with two escorts so as not to appear a threat. She'd take Flint and Sylvester because they were both strong and if things got too intense they could escape.

When the sun reached halfway to sunhigh Blossompaw called Flint and Sylvester to her.

"I'll do most of the talking. Remain as friendly and non threatening as possible," she instructed. Both toms nodded in agreement. The trio caught a squirrel to bring as a peace offering and held their tails high in the air so it wouldn't look like they were sneaking. They reached the blue twoleg nest unopposed.

"Hello? Is there anyone in there?" she called out. No sooner had the first syllable left her lips than Foxtooth's red furred body appeared in one of the broken windows.

"You again. I thought I told you to scram," he growled, exposing his fangs for which he was named. Flint bristled and Blossompaw tapped his flank with her tail to remind him to stay calm.

"We come with an offering for you. We only want to talk, and I think you'll want to hear what we have to say," Blossompaw said and nodded for Sylvester to deliver the squirrel. Foxtooth eyed the prey before accepting.

"The door is open."

He wasn't joking, there was no door. Blossompaw inspected his camp inside the abandoned twoleg nest. There were no smaller rooms inside the nest, just four walls and a rotting roof with a grass floor and trees growing right through some of the shattered windows. Moldy beams lay on the floor in a pile. Blossompaw saw glowing eyes from beneath the wood.

"My name is Blossompaw, I come from Ravenclan. I have been sent here by my warrior ancestors to help rebuild Ashclan which was lost many seasons ago," Blossompaw started.

"What?" Foxtooth interrupted.

"I'm here to rebuild Ashclan," she summarized.

"What?" Foxtooth said again. His confusion was genuine, he wasn't just throwing them off.

"Well you have a warrior name so I just assumed you knew about Ashclan. Is this not..." Blossompaw was sure everyone could see her embarrassment beneath her pelt. Foxtooth looked like he almost pitied her.

"My name is a tradition, I don't about your clans or warriors," he said softly, apologetically. Another cat suddenly stepped out from beneath the wood pile.

"Fawndapple! I told you to stay hidden!" Foxtooth said, appalled. Blossompaw noted it was another warrior name.

"Blossompaw, was it? Would you care to explain further what's going on. I promise my mate won't bite," she said with a twinkle to her eyes. Foxtooth let out a huff of annoyance.

"Well I suppose I should start from the beginning. A clan is a group of cats who work together to survive, a community of sorts. The leader guides them, the medicine cat uses herbs to heal the sick and wounded, and warriors protect their clan. Queens are nursing mothers and apprentices train under the warriors until they are old enough to receive their warrior name."

"And we have warrior names you say?" Fawndapple asked. Blossompaw nodded.

"We you are born your mother gives your the first part of your name, the last part of your name ends in kit. When you become an apprentice you are a 'paw. When you are a warrior your leader gives you your full name."

"I don't know about all those name stages, it's just been tradition for as long as I can remember that our names have two parts," Fawndapple shrugged.

"I come from very far away in a clan called Ravenclan. There were four separate clans sharing borders, Ravenclan Seaclan Cedarclan and Ashclan. Ashclan was destroyed by an eruption year upon year ago. I received a message from our warrior ancestors that said I had to save Ashclan from fading away," Blossompaw explained.

"You mean the dead can talk to you?" Foxtooth laughed. Blossompaw frowned.

"I don't think I'm explaining this right. Just tell me...do you know anything about Ashclan or why your are named like this?"

"There used to be more of us living in the twoleg nest, a whole group even. But it was leaf bare and prey was scarce. My first litter of kits had just been born and there were too many mouths to feed. Another cat, Owlmoon, had broken his foreleg trying to catch a pheasant. The rest of the group left in the middle of the night, abandoning us here. Owlmoon died of infection a few days afterwards. Foxtooth has been providing for me and our kits ever since. A moon ago we found two other kits left for dead in the forest and we took them in. Our group was not a clan, but..." Fawndapple trailed off.

"But we may know something about Ashclan," Foxtooth finished for his mate. "The unspoken leader of the group was Duststripe. He had been having dreams before they ran off like cowards. Dreams of a cat called Ashstar. That's all we know."

"I can tell you what those dreams mean. Ashstar was the first leader of Ashclan. I believe you are the descendants of his clan, you have forgotten the warrior way of life. He tried contacting you and failed - so he sent me," Blossompaw filled in the gaps. Fawndappled gave her a small smile.

"It makes sense but what if we don't want to be a clan?" she said quietly. Blossompaw had never considered that before. If Ashclan didn't want to be a clan then that was the end of it.

* * *

**A. What do you think of 'Ashclan?'**

**B. What do you wonder is going on with the city as of late?**


	17. Chapter 17

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Three: The Clan**

_"Well done Blossompaw. You have found my clan," Ashstar greeted the apprentice. Blossompaw stared at her paws in silence for a moment before looking up at the ancient leader with worry in her crystal gaze._

_"They are mere rogues in an old twoleg den with no knowledge of you or warrior life. They don't even want to learn," she said fiercely, the fur on her shoulders rising. How could anyone not want to be a part of such a noble community like a clan?_

_"Make them listen," Ashstar said simply. "You words yield more power than you realize."_

_The leader and apprentice sat side by side on the cliffs overlooking the sea. _

_"I want to go home," she said, voice little above a whisper._

_"You made your choice. You are no longer a cat of Ravenclan, you are a cat of Ashclan. You found them, you have followers already. Teach them how to be warriors, build my proud clan up once again from the dust. But don't forget your enemies as you make friends."_

_"I will rebuild your clan," she said with a final nod of her head, trying to convince her more than Ashstar that she could. _

_"I know, but not as an apprentice. It is time for your warrior ceremony, it is long overdue."_

_Blossompaw was too stunned to speak. Ashstar rose to his paws and she copied immediately. Her father Adderfang pushed his way out of the treeline and gave her a reassuring smile. She turned her crystal gaze back to the leader. _

_"I, Ashstar, leader of Ashclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and will continue to train. I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Blossompaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend you Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Ashstar repeated the sacred ceremony words. _

_"I do," Blossompaw vowed without batting an eye. _

_"Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior name. Blossompaw, from this moment you will be known as Blossomfang. Starclan honors your gentle nature and sharp wit, carry your fang with you like your father before you. We welcome you as a full warrior of Ashclan," Ashstar finished and rested his muzzle on her forehead. She licked his shoulder respectfully and they drew apart. More Starclan warriors appeared from the forest, Adderfang lifted his muzzle to the sky to start the chant._

_"Blossomfang! Blossomfang!" they chorused. __The gray furred leader gave her one last imploring look before the dream faded. _

Blossomfang opened her eyes, feeling reborn. She stood up slowly and looked down at her legs, they looked the same but she knew inside she had changed. She was no longer a meek apprentice serving Ashstar's whims. She was a warrior serving her ancestors on a mission to rebuild the lost clan.

"Everyone get up, we are going to speak to Fawndapple and Foxtooth again," she announced, startling the others from their sleep. They shook the stiffness from their joints before following her as she all but ran to the twoleg nest. Foxtooth and Fawndapple were waiting for them as if they expected Blossomfang would come back.

"You aren't welcome on our territory anymore, you've outlasted your visit!" Foxtooth growled at the approaching group.

"Blossompaw take your friends and go, we aren't interested in being a clan," Fawndapple added with a guarded look.

"My name is Blossomfang now, last night I was awarded my warrior name to help me convince you to be a clan."

Her friends looked at her dubiously. Flint gave a small shrug and turned his attention back to the two cats. Fawndapple and Foxtooth didn't look impressed in the slightest.

"I'd like to introduce you to everyone, if that's alright," Blossomfang suggested. Foxtooth glowered at them but granted them entry to the twoleg den.

"This is Chance, my deputy if you will," Blossomfang said and motioned to the dog sitting beside her. Fawndapple and Foxtooth stared slack jawed at the dog but didn't comment. Chance dipped his head respectfully. "Flint Shiver and Sylvester are my friends. Whisper is sort of our guide, he can interpret the stars."

"These are our three kits," Fawndapple introduced and three small balls of fur crawled out of hiding from underneath the wooden beams.

"Doveheart is the white one with gray spots on her back. Pebblenose is the brown one with a white underbelly. Tansyfoot is the light brown one with the gray foot," Fawndapple said and looked down at her kits lovingly.

"They are beautiful," Blossomfang complimented. Fawndapple looked away from the three kits and back at Blossomfang. Foxtooth sat next to his mates side, his gaze darting from cat to cat.

"You didn't come here to meet my kits though," Fawndapple said and nudged the liter back into their hiding place.

"Correct," Blossomfang nodded. "I came here to strike a bargain."

Blossomfang dismissed her companions to wait outside so she alone could converse with the last descendants of Ashclan. Fawndapple and Foxtooth remained mildly curious to hear what her proposal would be.

"How old are Doveheart Pebblenose and Tansyfoot?" she asked.

"Five moons, why?" Foxtooth demanded. Blossomfang stared at him blankly.

"Give me two full moons to get you to consider becoming a clan. Two moons is all I'm asking for. Your kits are nearly old enough to become apprentices, they'll change their suffixes to 'paw and be assigned mentors. You will train as well to hunt and fight like warriors."

"And at the end of the two moons what if we still don't want to be a clan? We are making a deal...a bet, what's in it for us if we put up with you for two moons?" Foxtooth crowed with a sly grin.

"At the end of the trial if you don't want to be a clan we will leave your territory for good," she vowed.

"Not good enough. If you haven't convinced us at that point you must promise to track down the cats who left us for dead and make them pay," Fawndapple said coldly.

"I can't promise that. It's the way of a warrior to forgive and only kill if absolutely necessary!" Blossomfang objected.

"Then you better hope you've convinced us to join your clan," Fawndapple retorted and sat back. Those were the terms, Blossomfang knew the negotiations were over take it or leave it. She closed her eyes, willing Ashstar to show her what to do but she only saw the blackness of her mind.

"Alright. But for two moons you must do exactly as I say, no objections," Blossomfang said slowly. Fawndapple and Foxtooth exchanged a look before nodding. Blossomfang sighed deeply and stood up.

"Tomorrow at dawn meet us at the cherry grove. We will begin your training then," Blossomfang instructed and left the twoleg nest. She guided her friends back to their makeshift camp in silence, preparing to explain to them what she promised. She knew they wouldn't like the idea of hunting down the cats who betrayed Fawndapple and Foxtooth if they failed in two moons, but there was no other choice.

Besides that she had much bigger issues in front of her. Not only would she be training Fawndapple and Foxtooth, but their kits and all of her friends as well. She had to teach everyone the warrior code and impress its importance upon them. They would have to lay down borders and construct dens for everyone. And they would need to find a meeting place with Starclan. But first Blossomfang just had to get through the night knowing there was no room for error.

"Are you going to take the name Blossomstar now?" Chance asked as they settled down.

"Of course not, you need nine lives to be a true leader," Blossomfang rolled her eyes. Chance knew the warrior code almost as well as her, he and Sylvester both listened to her stories at the facility.

"Your deputy is a dog. If we were really following the warrior code I would driven away," Chance snorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Blossomfang snapped. Ashstar had never given her permission to do as she pleased with his clan. He had asked her to restore it to its former glory. That meant it remained a clan that didn't change rules whenever they felt like it.

"I'm just saying we have a delicate situation in our paws. I don't mean we trash the code completely, just tweak it a bit," he shrugged and settled down. The other cats were all fast asleep except for maybe Whisper, who no-one could tell if he was really asleep. Blossomfang kept her voice low as she answered Chance.

"The warrior code has been around as long as the clans. We will not be changing it," she said with a note of finality. Chance wasn't keen on arguing and nodded before curling up to sleep. "Besides," Blossomfang added. "It isn't like there is an actual rule forbidding dogs from joining the clans."

* * *

**A. What do you think of Blossomfang's new name?**

**B. Think the deal will work out?**


	18. Chapter 18

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Three: The Clan**

At first Blossomfang wasn't even sure Foxtooth and Fawndapple would show up. Just as she was about to go to the twoleg nest to see what was taking so long the two cats walked side by side into the orchard with their three kits darting about their paws.

"Alright, you're in charge," Fawndapple said with a hint of sarcasm. Blossomfang's mind suddenly went blank. Where should she start their training?

"Ok first thing's first," she mumbled quickly to buy time. "Names! We need names, right?"

No-one offered her any help, it was her decision. But after she said it out loud she wasn't sure she had the authority to name anyone. _Sorry Ashstar, but I can't go back now, _she said silently to the ancient leader.

"Tansyfoot, Doveheart, and Pebblenose please step forward," she commanded in a much less shaky voice. She had to prove she was sure of herself or no-one would trust her to guide them. The three kits walked forward nervously.

"From this day forth until your warrior ceremonies you shall be known as Tansypaw, Dovepaw, and Pebblepaw respectively. You will train as apprentices until you are old enough and have proved yourself capable of serving your clan. Since everyone here will need some form of training no mentors shall be appointed to you as of this moment," Blossomfang announced. The kits looked at their parents excitedly, clearly enthralled with their new names. Foxtooth reluctantly congratulated them, but the sour look on his face remained.

"Foxtooth and Fawndapple will train as apprentices as well, however they will keep their names. But I still need to name Chance, Whisper, Sylvester, Flint, and Shiver."

Blossomfang's friends looked surprised to be getting their names. It was a huge honor to receive a warrior name, and Blossomfang was just dishing them out like they were easily earned. She decided not to appoint them their full names until they all completed their training will Tansypaw Dovepaw and Pebblepaw.

"Sylvester, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Rabbitpaw. Whisper shall be known as Whisperpaw, Flint shall be known as Flintpaw, and Shiver will be Shiverpaw," she declared quickly. Her friends exchanged looks but accepted their names all the same.

"Blossomfang..." Chance began with a somewhat hurt look.

"Don't worry I didn't forget about you. Chance you have already proved yourself a warrior. You survived the testing facility and were the real reason we all escaped. After I fled you took care of the pack."

"I, Blossomfang of the new Ashclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this dog. He has worked hard to serve and protect your noble code and will continue to train with the clan. I commed him to you as a warrior in his turn. Chance, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Chance said without a stammer. He sat proudly, with his chest pointed out and his muzzle lifted to the sky. Blosssomfang could see the honor in his eyes. Chance had told her of being a pet for twolegs, and of his mate Via. Now he finally had a home again, with her.

"Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior name. Chance from this moment on you will be known as Braveheart for your unwavering loyalty and bravery in the face of danger," Blossomfang said. She guided the others in the chant by cheering the new names loudly. Normally apprentices didn't have their names cheered but in this case she wanted everyone to celebrate.

"Tansypaw! Dovepaw! Pebblepaw! Braveheart! Whisperpaw! Flintpaw! Shiverpaw! Rabbitpaw! Braveheart! Foxtooth! Fawndapple!"

After a few minutes of trying out everyone's name on her tongue Blossomfang lifted her tail for silence.

"Before we can begin training we must go over the rules of the warrior code. This is the code you live and survive by, never forget that," Blossomfang warned, looking at Fawndapple and Foxtooth especially. She listed off each of the rules, explaining the ones they didn't understand. For the most part it was easy to follow since they didn't have any enemy clans and barely any rogues ventured this deep into the forest.

"Does anyone have suggestions for what to do first?" Blossomfang asked. She wanted them to get involved and make their own decisions.

"Borders?" Foxtooth said warily.

"Great idea. We need to lay down borders so we have a common understanding of what our territory is," she praised. Foxtooth tried to force down his smile but failed, the corners of his mouth turned upward at her comment. Blossomfang lead the group in tow as they meandered around a wide berth from the main camp which was the twoleg nest.

"The border should be like a half circle with the flat edge meeting at the cliffs," Shiverpaw suggested. Blossomfang nodded at her idea. As they patrolled in a wide half circle they came across notable landmarks for the edges of their border.

"If you get lost follow the crooked tree to the square rock to the creek and you'll wind up at the cliffs edge. Go straight along that and you'll reach the twoleg nest in no time," Blossomfang explained. Each of the cats took turns leaving their mark to scent the end of their territory. She was pleased to see Fawndapple and Foxtooth enjoyed the patrol.

"Fawndapple what do you think we should do next?" Blossomfang signaled the dappled she cat out.

"We should hunt, the kits...er apprentices, are getting hungry," Fawndapple suggested.

"Great idea. We can take the opportunity to learn some hunting moves. I'll let Flintpaw take over as instructor here," Blossomfang laughed. Flintpaw smiled and took up the head of the group.

"There are several ways to hunt. If you are hunting mice squirrels or voles you will keep your weight on your back paws like so. Then you will spring forward and trap the prey between your paws. If you are hunting birds you will need to keep as low as possible and have your weight evenly distributed in your paws. They don't have a great sense of smell and they can't feel vibrations in the ground. But to hunt them you need to stay in their blind spot." Flintpaw explained and demonstrated the moves. He and Shiverpaw took each cat off one by one to personally teach them how to hunt. No one came back empty pawed.

"Excellent!" Blossomfang congratulated as a pile slowly grew. They each carried a piece back to the nest to feast. The prey that was leftover was buried for safe keeping in the nest. It was getting late so Blossomfang decided to call it a night. But she noted they still had dens to build and many other things would come their way.

Braveheart was the one to wake them up in the morning.

"I'll lead the dawn patrol to check the borders. Foxtooth, Shiverpaw, and Rabbitpaw come with me," Braveheart selected the group and lead them to do their duties.

"While they are gone we can eat they leftover prey and then do another hunting patrol. Anyone who wants to come can," Blossomfang said with a yawn. She dug up the prey leftover and selected a squirrel. Flintpaw joined her and let the kits eat a vole together. Fawndapple took a sparrow and Whisperpaw ate the last mouse.

"I'm surprised," Flintpaw said as he licked his lips and sat back, full from the meal. Blossomfang ate her last bite as well.

"About what?" she asked curiously. Flintpaw shrugged.

"I didn't like you when we first met. Like at all. Now I think you're...something else," he said with a half smirk.

"Well you've grown up quite a bit yourself. Thank you for helping with Ashclan," she said honestly. She couldn't have done it without Flintpaw and Shiverpaw.

"Thank you for helping with the testing place," Flintpaw said slowly. "Rabbitpaw is a good friend of mine, your good for him."

Blossomfang didn't know what he meant by that last part. She was good for Rabbitpaw? What did he think there was something going on between the black and white tom and her? She shook the thoughts from her head and focused on the hunting patrol that was quickly forming. When the dawn patrol returned there would be another pile of prey waiting for them.

* * *

Later in the evening Braveheart had the brilliant idea to do a group training for fighting techniques. Flintpaw and Blossomfang lead the training. He had street fighting skills and she knew basic moves from her dreams where Adderfang taught her.

"The back kick is one of the easiest moves to learn and use in a battle, it's an explosive kick from behind to catch your opponent by surprise," Blossomfang explained and dropped into the move. Flint went around to correct everyones stance as they copied Blossomfang. Tansypaw back kicked her sister in the face and Dovepaw launched forward to tackle Tansypaw. Pebblepaw didn't want to be left out and jumped into the fray as well.

"Show some respect!" Fawndapple commanded. The kits separated with sheepish looks and focused on the training again.

"Now the front paw blow is where you bring your front paw down hard on your opponents head, claws sheathed. Since Tansypaw Dovepaw and Pebblepaw seem to be bursting with energy we can let them practice this move," Blossomfang pointed out the trio of troublemakers. The young apprentices warily walked forward as their parents watched nervously.

"Tansypaw, Dovepaw, attack Pebblepaw," Blossomfang ordered nonchalantly. Pebblepaw turned to flee but her sisters easily caught her.

"Front paw blow!" Dovepaw cried as smacked Pebblepaw. Pebblepaw dodged and avoided the blunt of the impact.

"Next time Dovepaw don't announce your attacks!" Blossomfang chided. The white apprentice flushed under her pelt but didn't give up. Pebblepaw for her part was defending fairly well. Tansypaw tried to sneak around Pebblepaw's backside but Pebblepaw saw her and executed a perfect back kick. Blossomfang held up her tail to end the fight.

"Good job. Now I want everyone to give their critique so if a real battle comes they will better be able to spar," she instructed.

"Work together," Foxtooth threw out. Blossomfang prompted him to continue. "My daughters were all just randomly attacking each other. If Dovepaw and Tansypaw had worked together they could have beat Pebblepaw."

"And Pebblepaw could have used that to her advantage as well!" Fawndapple chimed in. "Pebblepaw could have ducked so Dovepaw and Tansypaw would collide."

The apprentices took the critique well. They walked back to their places and Flintpaw began to demonstrate a maneuver while Blossomfang joined the observation. Foxtooth and Fawndapple were no where near ready to accept this as their lifestyle, but they were working hard and kept open minds. In two moons time they might be ready to become an actual clan.

* * *

**A. What do you think of _everyone's _new names?**

**B. Rabbitpaw and Blossomfang?**


	19. Chapter 19

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Three: The Clan**

"Braveheart the fresh kill pile is getting low, organize a patrol to go out and hunt more," Blossomfang called out to her deputy. Chance dipped his head and set off to gather a group of cats. The sun high patrol entered the camp, just finishing checking the borders.

"We refreshed the markers, no loners in the area," Foxtooth reported. Blossomfang flicked her ears to signal she had heard.

"Where is Whisperpaw?" she called out to no one in particular. The old cat had seemingly vanished into thin air.

"He is out to gather herbs for his store. With leaf fall approaching he said he needed to build up his stores," Fawndapple answered before leaving the camp with Chance Rabbitpaw and Shiverpaw to go hunting.

"Alone? He needs a guard with him," Blossomfang muttered to herself. She would've liked if one of Fawndapple's kits had wanted to be a medicine cat apprentice but they had all made it perfectly clear they wanted to be fighters. Speaking of the younger apprentices...

"Are Tansypaw Dovepaw and Pebblepaw training again?" She asked Foxtooth.

"We ran into them on the patrol. Flintpaw took them out to the mossy patch," Foxtooth explained. Blossomfang let out a sigh and settled down. A few weeks had passed since she found the last cats of Ashclan. The full moon was fast approaching, signaling the halfway point of the time trial. They had made so much progress, but still had so much more to do.

The twoleg nest had been transformed into the main camp. The fallen beams were shifted and reconstructed to form dens. They had a warrior den, an apprentice den, a medicine cat den, and a nursery. The older apprentices slept in the warrior den while the younger apprentices slept in the actual apprentice den. Blossomfang didn't have a leaders den yet since she wasn't a leader, so she slept in the warrior den as well. In the center of the camp a pit had been dug for fresh kill. And the left over beams had been fashioned into steps for Blossomfang to deliver announcements from.

In their expansive territory they found special locations for different purposes. The mossy patch was a wide circle surrounded by trees that was used for training. The cherry orchard was the main hunting grounds. A cluster of round boulders in the heart of the territory was the undisclosed gather place. A clear stream that ran all the way to the cliffs was their water source.

But they still needed a meeting place with Starclan. Ashstar had not visited her in days and Adderfang only came to her in her dreams to train her more. Whenever she asked him about a meeting place he simply gave her a small shake of the head, saying he could not tell her.

It had been a wild couple of weeks filled with busy planning and frantic explaining of what it means to be a clan. But Ashclan was finally starting to feel like a clan. The decision of course remained up to Foxtooth and Fawndapple, so Blossomfang was always walking on eggshells around them. But even they seemed to be warming to the idea of clan life.

"Flowerfeet, you look tense," Flintpaw said with a smirk as he walzed into camp. Blossomfang gave him a playful shove. The three young apprentices entered the camp with heavy pawsteps. Blossomfang was about to ask how training was but they dropped into their nests before she could even open her mouth. She was fairly certain they were asleep before their heads hit the moss.

"Want to go hunting? I just need to clear my head for a bit," Blossomfang suggested. Flintpaw shrugged and let her lead the way back into the forest. They went in the opposite direction of the cherry orchard, not wanting to get in the way of the hunting patrol.

"Are you proud?" Flintpaw asked as they wandered through the trees.

"Of course. Everyone is working so hard and learning really quickly," Blossomfang smiled genuinely.

"I mean are you proud of yourself? You found Ashclan, and you convinced Fawndapple and Foxtooth to listen to you. You accomplished all of this when Shiverpaw and I wouldn't even have your back."

"But your here now," Blossomfang pointed out. Flintpaw held up his tail for silence as he spotted a squirrel nibbling at seeds in the grass. Blossomfang sneacked around behind it and Flintpaw charged forward to scare it into her waiting paws.

"We make a pretty good team Flowerfeet," he laughed and sat down to share the prey with her.

"You really should call me Blossomfang," she said with a smile so he'd know she was only kidding. Flintpaw looked at her, his green eyes searching her blue ones. She wanted to look away but their gazes were locked.

"Okay Blossomfang," he said at last and continued eating the squirrel. After they finished Blososmfang stood up and shook out her ruffled fur.

"Feeling better?" he questioned.

"Much. Thank you," Blossomfang nodded and they went back to camp. Braveheart had returned with a full freshkill pile. Blossomfang caught Foxtooth and Fawndapple's attention and called them outside of camp with her. They looked wary as they sat down to talk.

"I think we need to discuss Ashclan's progress," Blossomfang started. "We need a plan for when your decision comes."

"I understand," Foxtooth said. "If we decide we don't want to be a clan you need to know where you'll all go."

Blossomfang flinched. It sounded like he had already made up his mind with what his decision would be.

"Yes, that's what I mean. We can't stay in the forest, and we can't return to the city," Blossomfang sighed.

"There are lots of forests, you traveled this far you can survive another journey," Fawndapple said coldly.

"Alright," Blossomfang said meekly. That discussion hadn't gone at all how she had hoped. She didn't want to end it on such a bad note either.

"I want to invite more cats to join Ashclan," she threw out. Fawndapple and Foxtooth looked taken aback by her outburst. She rushed on to explain before they could say no. "We could take in a few rogues or loners to build up our numbers. The clan is too small right now, with more cats..."

"No." Foxtooth said.

"Yes." Fawndapple interjected at the same time. The mates exchanged looks and Blossomfang waited nervously for them to reach a conclusive decision. Fawndapple spoke for the both of them.

"We have to approve of anyone who wants to join the clan. And make it perfectly clear if we decide no at the end of the two moons they are not welcome to stay."

Foxtooth grudgingly nodded in agreement to Fawndapple's terms. Although he wasn't too enthusiastic about rogues joining the clan he would soon see the importance of numbers.

"Of course. And one more thing. I think it is time for a few warrior ceremonies," Blossomfang smiled broadly. She hadn't even planned on appointing any warriors that day. But she wanted to have a good number of warrior before they began recruiting. The young apprentices still had a lot to learn, but several cats had proved their worth. She rushed back into camp and scurried up the wooden ledge.

"All members of the New Ashclan gather here for a clan meeting!" she called out quickly. It didn't take long for the clan to group together below her. She saw fortunately Whisperpaw had gotten back from collecting herbs so everyone was present.

"Tomorrow night is the full moon where we will have our first gathering as a clan. And I want to have new warriors there to celebrate. While as a clan we still have a lot of progress to make there are a few cats who deserve their names. Flintpaw, Shiverpaw, and Rabbitpaw please step forward."

The stunned group of cats made their way to the front of the crowd. Shiverpaw and Flintpaw exchanged excited looks, like a pair of nervous kits. Rabbitpaw was grinning broadly, he had come so far since their imprisonment at the testing facility.

"I, Blossomfang, leader of the new Ashclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code and in turn are ready to be made warriors. Rabbitpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" Blossomfang asked. Rabbitpaw stepped forward, his black and white pelt gleaming and his eyes burned with pride.

"I do," he said quickly.

"Then by the powers of Starclan I grant you your warrior name. Rabbitpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Rabbitleap. Starclan honors your courage in the face of danger and your loyalty to those around you. We welcome you as a full warrior of Ashclan."

She rested her head on his muzzle and whispered for him to lick her shoulder as per tradition. Rabbitleap stood to her side as she called Shiverpaw forward.

"Shiverpaw you have trained hard to learn the ways of the warrior code and in turn are ready to be made a warrior. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Shiverpaw said clearly. Blossomfang had no doubt that Shvierpaw meant that. She had been reluctant at first to help Blossomfang rebuild Ashclan but had proved her loyalty.

"Then from this moment and on you shall be known as Shiverpsots for your orange and white pelt. Starclan honors your quick thinking and passion. We welcome you as a full warrior of Ahclan."

Blossomfang completed the naming by resting her muzzle of Shiverspots head and Shiverspots licked her shoulder before standing beside Rabbitleap.

"Flintpaw, you have trained hard to learn the ways of the warrior code and in turn are ready to be made a warrior. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Flintpaw said softly, his deep green eyes were solemn as he spoke.

"Then by the powers of Starclan I grant you your warrior name. Flintpaw form this moment and on you shall be known as Flintmask for your flamepoint features. Starclan honors your initiative and independence. We welcome your as a full warrior of Ashclan," Blossomfang finished.

"Rabbitleap! Shiverspots! Flintmask!"


	20. Chapter 20

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Three: The Clan**

All the warriors slept that night in the den, Braveheart occupied the middle and sent off waves of heat. The apprentices were settled in their own den, keeping everyone awake with snoring. Whisperpaw was in the medicine cat den by himself, and Blossomfang decided her first mission was to find him an apprentice. Her blue eyes were just starting to close when she saw a figure get up from the tangle of cats - and dog - and leave the den. Blossomfang looked at her clan mates to make sure they were still asleep before following the cat out of camp.

Squinting through the darkness she could make out the frame of Flintmask. His orange and ash colored fur ruffled with the breeze. He had his head angled upward, watching the moon drift higher into the sky. Blossomfang hung back and watched him, but the breeze changed and he caught a wiff of her scent. She saw his muzzle curl into a lopsided smile.

"Following me now?" he laughed and glanced over his shoulder at her, his green eyes were bright and mischievous. Blossomfang flushed under her pelt before stepping forward and sitting next to him.

"Did I disturb you?" she asked quietly.

"No, it's nice to have company," he assured her and resumed watching the moon.

"If you don't mind my asking...what are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

"I'm just appreciating the forest Flowerfeet...er Blossomfang."

"Shiverspots, Rabbitleap, and Whisperpaw seem to really be settling into clan life," Blossomfang observed.

"My sister has always been more of a group cat," Flintmask acknowledged.

"And you?" Blossomfang questioned. She pricked her ears to hear his response.

"Don't worry about me, I'll go wherever Ashclan does," he promised after a minute of silence. He had really changed a lot since she rescued him and his sister from Shane's prison lair. Blossomfang thought maybe he had even grown to respect her in the time that followed. She knew she had also grown up quite a bit, no longer was she a spit fire apprentice. She was a warrior, and she would protect Ashclan until her last breath.

Blossomfang wanted to say more but instead left Flintmask to his own devices. Returning to the warmth and comfort of the warrior den she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the moss.

* * *

"The city is dangerous, don't forget it. I'm not sure where we stand with Niko but Shane won't hesitate to have us killed if we are seen on his terf," Blossomfang addressed the cluster of cats standing before her. She was taking Fawndapple, Foxtooth, and Rabbitleap into the city. Braveheart would take care of the camp while they were gone. She would have loved the safety his size and force brought but he would be a dead giveaway to the group, Shane would be on them before they set foot on a thunder-path. Shiverspots and Flintmask were also staying behind for that reason. But Blossomfang was confident Whisperpaw would keep them occupied fetching herbs.

"It will be a day's trek there, we'll make camp on the outskirts of the city. The next day we will search for recruits and on the third night we head home."

"Be good while were away," Foxtooth smiled as he looked down at his three kits. Fawndapple licked each of their heads and they squirmed away from her fussing. The two cats said their final goodbyes before joining Blossomfang and Rabbitleap and they headed toward the city. Blossomfnag dully realized that night was the full moon, marking half of her allotted time to convince Foxtooth and Fawndapple to become a clan. They would have to skip their first gathering.

The group slowly headed out of Ashclan's territory, the smell of the ocean and cherry tree's faded into pines and undergrowth. They didn't encounter any loners as they got closer to the city, which was odd. Rabbitleap seemed to have the same thought.

"The city can't be too far now, it's sun high and we've been walking for hours. I haven't seen any cats at all," he said suspiciously. Blossomfang had a vague inkling as to why.

"Shane is calling in forces," she whispered softly. "He's been recruiting loners and rogues to prepare for our return, or to come after us himself."

"All the more reason we need to build up our numbers," Fawndapple pointed out. Blossomfang was thankful the dappled she cat had sided with her in her plan to build up Ashclan. Maybe the idea of clan life was growing on her, her kits were certainly enthusiastic about company. Fawndapple was still cold and distant towards most of the group besides her mate, but she saw the sense and safety clan life brought. She would put her family before all else, and if she thought they were safer as a clan then Ashclan might be saved after all.

Foxtooth on the other paw was a little hot headed. He wanted to believe he could be the sole provider for his mate and kits and didn't take kindly to outsiders. Although he too seemed to thrive in a group environment, whether he'd admit to himself or not. Blossompaw just hoped she could prove to them in time that their Ashclan heritage was important and these cats needed their territory.

Blossompaw's train of thought changed course as they got even closer to the city, the fur on her shoulders elevated with foreboding. She was trying to recall everything he new about the city bosses. Shane and Niko had been mates once long ago, but now were bitter enemies. Niko controlled the North end of the city which was mostly she cats. Shane had the South end with his gang of tom cats.

"We should definitely avoid Shane's South side of the city, and lay low around Niko as well," Blososmfang suggested. The group let out murmurs of agreement. Blossomfang could tell already they were going to jump at every shadow for every second they spent in the city. If Shane wasn't planning to come after them already he certainley wouldn't hesitate to fight if he caught them stealing his cats.

Not long before night fall the lights of the city came into view. Blossompaw was chilled by the echoing shouts of twolegs and the roar of cars zooming along thunder paths. Bright lights illuminated each structure and a cloud of smog hovered over the whole expanse.

The small group made camp under a holly bush, just barely inside of the forest. In the morning they would be looking for cats willing to give clan life a try. Blossompaw mulled over their plan of action as she tried to fall asleep. They would need Tom cats too...which would only be found in Shane's territory. She thought maybe if she split the group up, Foxtooth and Rabitleap go to the South side and Blossompaw and Fawndapple go to the North side. It would be risky but would draw less attention to them.

She let out a sigh and forced the thoughts from her mind, she needed rest if she wanted to make it through tomorrow. As her eyelids became heavy she thought she saw a glimpse of a dark gray cat with amber eyes, the faintest hint of stars in his paws. He was shaking his head slowly. But whatever she had seen was disregarded as she drifted off into oblivion.

* * *

**Thanks to a helpful idea from Maplesong I want all of you to enter your rogue OC's for this story! Just fill out this idea thingy down below and comment! ****I may change some things about your OC to fit with the story, but I'd love for some unique cats! Please no Mary sue's or Gary stue's. Keep in mind that male cats are in the South side with Shane and She cats are in the North side with Niko. Plan their personality accordingly. :D**

**Name:**

**Age (moons/years): **

**Gender: **

**Appearance (eye color, pelt, markings, height/size, etc): **

**Personality (odd quirks and characteristics):**

**Background (How did they end up in the city under either Niko or Shane):**

**Family (mate? Kits? No-one loves them?):**

**Other:**


	21. Chapter 21

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Four: The Newcomers**

Blossomfang's nose twitched as dew from the holly leaves dribbled downward. Her blue eyes opened into slits as the first dawn rays illuminated the silhouetted city. She quickly ran a paw over her whiskers and arched her back in a stretch, her muscles were stiff from the cold night air. Her clan mates were just starting to stir. Rabbitleap opened his jaws with a yawn and slowly stood up, eyes still closed. Fawndapple and Foxtooth groomed each other hastily before rising to their paws as well. Blossomfang looked away from the three cats back towards the city.

"Shane knows who I am, and if I set paw on the South side of the city I'll be killed. Niko knows me as well too, but I'm not sure where I stand with her, I think she's neutral about me. But if I bring two toms into her territory she won't be pleased," Blossomfang murmured, trying to sort out a plan. Rabbitleap sat down next to her, his gaze locked on the city scape.

"Foxtooth and I could go to Shane's terf while you and Fawndapple look around Niko's. We meet up back at the holly bush at sun high with any cat that is intrigued about clan life," he suggested. Blossomfang had been thinking that as well, but neither he nor Foxtooth new the city. Splitting the group was risky, but it looked like they had no other choice.

"Alright, but whoever you talk too make sure it's subtle. If Shane or his cronies get wind that anyone is stealing his cats...just be subtle okay? Tell them about Ashclan but don't say where it is. Make sure to explain the warrior code and the training and how safe it is to live with a group who truly has your back," Blossomfang instructed. Rabbitleap rolled his eyes.

"Blossomfang have some faith, we know what we are doing."

Blossomfang glanced back and Foxtooth and Fawndapple to see if they were okay with the plan. Neither cat had any qualms and so Blossomfang and Fawndapple headed to the North end of the city while Rabbitleap and Foxtooth headed southward. Blossomfang watched her friends outlines fade until they completely disappeared.

"Ok," she said with a slight smile. "Let's get started."

...

"I think we came from this direction," Rabbitleap said and turned a corner. The pair of cats ended up on a nearly identical street to the ten others they had just been on.

"Or maybe it was this way," Rabbitleap mumbled and hurried down another road. Foxtooth let out a huff of annoyance but continued to follow the black and white tom. He was just as lost. Foxtooth and Rabbitleap had almost been expecting there just to be cats roaming around in broad daylight, but the streets were mostly empty. They checked ally ways and only stumbled across a few strays, and they had the good sense to not even talk to the cats they had encountered thus far. Unless of course they wanted a claw to the muzzle.

There was one section of the South side of the city that was roughly abandoned. There had been a fire or something that decimated a few structures and the surrounding ones were empty with broken windows and kicked in doorways. Rabbitleap reluctantly realized they were going to have to go in the twoleg dens. It made him feel claustrophobic even thinking about it.

"Let's check this place out," Foxtooth said and nodded towards a complex in front of them. Rabbitleap nodded and they went inside. There was a strong smell of cat, mixes of fresh and stale. Shivers crawled up Rabbitleap's pelt as he looked around the scatters of boxes and glass shards.

_"Don't leave me!" _

Rabbitleap glanced around wildly.

"Who said that?" he growled. Foxtooth looked at him like he had grown two heads.

"Said what? There's no-one here," Foxtooth said in confusion. Rabbitleap shook his head, he must have imagined it.

_"Save me, please!"_

Rabbitleap practically leaped out of his pelt, there was someone in the room with them. Someone was shouting in his ear. But as he looked around he could see the only cat next to his was Foxtooth.

"Let's get out of here, you look a little freaked out," Foxtooth suggested. Rabbitleap nodded meekly. They headed for the exit when a group of young twolegs walked past, all yowling and slapping each other on the back. Foxtooth hid behind a discarded box but Rabbitleap was rooted to the ground. All he saw was the white coats, with their cruel stares and cold hands. Before the twolegs could see him Foxtooth had his jaws around Rabbitleap's scruff and was dragging him out of the open.

"Are you trying to get us killed?" Foxtooth hissed. Rabbitleap couldn't even respond for a few seconds.

"Sorry, I just had...flashbacks," he apologized and hurried out of the building and down the street opposite the twolegs. Foxtooth chased after him.

"Flashbacks? Did you used to be a kittypet or something?"

"I was stolen by twolegs and tested on for months alongside Blossomfang and Braveheart and many others. I would've died if she didn't come back for me," Rabbitleap said bluntly. Foxtooth closed his mouth and they walked in silence.

...

Niko had spies everywhere. The cats were discrete, but Blossomfang was acutely aware of being followed. It wasn't long before Niko got wind of Blossomfang's presence in her territory. The outcome wasn't what Fawndapple or Blossomfang had predicted.

"Niko requests your presence at the warehouse. Be prompt," a small dusky brown she cat instructed, she looked young but was large for her age. She had appeared from practically thin air, and wasn't sticking around for much longer either. She turned and trotted away. Since Blossomfang didn't know where the warehouse was she followed the she cat, hoping that's where they were being guided too. Blossomfang wanted nothing more than to turn and run, but she didn't want to ensure a place on Niko's bad side.

A few minutes later they came upon a large gray building shaped like a square. The windows were tinted dark and smoke was pouring out of vents on the roof. The brown furred cat entered through a flap on the door. Blossomfang and Fawndapple hesitantly followed.

Inside the warehouse there was more than a few twolegs wrapping useless items in boxes. Most paid them no mind, a few stooped down to try and pet them. Blossomfang warned them to keep away with a hiss. They followed her up a flight of stairs and to a loft. There were a few cat bowls with food and many cat perches. _Was Niko's gang a bunch of kittypets?_

"What's your name?" Blossomfang asked as their guide hopped onto a perch. She looked down at Blossomfang and Fawndapple with bright eyes.

"Astrid," she said with a monosyllabic reply. Before Blossomfang could ask where they were and what they were doing, Niko appeared. She had been sitting on a cat bed, her long cream colored fur groomed to perfection.

"Welcome to my Fela, Blossomfang," Niko purred. "Such a shame you didn't bring your _dog friend_ with you."

Blossomfang wasn't sure how to respond to that so she simply dipped her head respectfully, Fawndapple copied quickly.

"Well I say we skip the formalities and get straight to the point, what are you doing here. You caused quite the ruckus with Shane, thank you for that by the way, then you disappeared for a moon and now are sneaking around my end of the city. _Suspicious_ is all," Niko said point blank. Blossomfang clearly couldn't tell her she was looking to recruit cats for her clan, Niko would see that as a threat.

_C'mon think!_ Blossomfang opened her mouth to explain her presence, but no words left.

...

"You look lost? Newcomers?" a gravely voice called out. Rabbitleap and Foxtooth spun around. An old cat was right behind them, could've been following them for a while too. He was white and gray with deep green eyes. His long fur was matted into clumps and from his frail figure he looked old, really old.

"No were just looking around," Foxtooth said swiftly. The older cat clearly didn't believe them. His smile said it all, he'd probably been following them since they entered the city.

"Who are you?" Rabbitleap snapped, impatient.

"My name is Junebug, most call me Bugs," he shrugged. As he lifted his shoulders his head gave a little pull to the side and his eye twitched.

"Right," Foxtooth snorted under his breath. The two toms turned to leave the strange cat behind them, but Bugs invited himself along. They picked up the pace to lose him but the old cat was persistent, they could hear him wheezing behind them as he jogged along. At last they gave up and stopped, Bugs paused for a moment to catch his breath before speaking.

"So what brings you to the South side?"

Neither cat answered his question. Bugs leaned towards Rabbitleap and sniffed his flank. Rabbitleap backed away nervously. Bugs closed his eyes for a moment, deciphering the scent.

"You're from the forest. You wouldn't happen to know a dog named Chance would ya, and a little she cat called Blossompaw?" Bugs asked with squinted eyes.

"Nope," Foxtooth said, only partially lying. He new a dog named Braveheart and a she cat called Blossomfang. "No idea who you're talking about."

"Good, then you won't mind me tagging along," Bugs said with another eye twitch. He wedged himself directly between Rabbitleap and Foxtooth. The two warriors exchanged looks. With Bugs latching onto them there was no way they could talk about the clan. Unless...

"Bugs how long have you lived in the city?" Rabbitleap questioned. Bugs looked thoughtful.

"Years, many years. You know I've lived in the city since before Niko and Shane's reign. Heck I introduced them to each other. That didn't work out too well..."

"Are you very attached to the city?" Rabbitleap continued.

"It's been my home for as long as I can remember, but lately it seems more like a battlefield than a place to spend my last years in," Bugs shrugged nonchalantly. Rabbitleap suppressed a smile, Foxtooth caught on to what Rabbitleap was doing.

"What if we told you there was a beautful place in the forest where a group of cats was living away from the noise and danger of the city. They hunt and patrol their borders, they care for the young and old, and they abide by a code of honor."

"Well I'd say sign me up!"

"Bugs there is someone you need to meet...but first, why did you ask about Chance and Blossompaw?" Rabbitleap asked.

"So you do them huh? Well I've never met them but Shane is making all his cats scour the city for them. He even offered Niko a handsome reward if she turned them over to him, he thinks they are hiding in her territory," Bugs explained indifferently.

"Uh oh," Foxtooth muttered.

"Bugs meet us here tonight at moon high," Rabbitleap instructed before he and Foxtooth dashed away. If Niko found out Blossomfang was in her terf, and Shane had bribed Niko to hand her over, then Blossomfang was in a lot of danger.

...

Blossomfang sat there dumbly, luckily Fawndapple saved her hide with a quick response.

"We want to join the city, life in the forest is tough," she lied smoothly. Blossomfang let out a sigh of relief as Niko accepted the explanation.

"What if I don't want you living in my territory. Trouble follows you," Niko sniffed and shook out her cream colored pelt. Her gang of cats copied her actions and let out snorts of contempt.

"Then we'll be leaving," Fawndapple responded again and began to scurry out of the loft. Niko nodded at her fela and they sprang into action. The staircase was quickly blockaded. One thing was for certain, these were no kittypets. The she cats had muscles hiding under well groomed fur and their claws were sharp.

"What do you want Niko?" Blossomfang said cautiously, biding her time.

"Shane promised me a small chuck of the South end territory in return for your capture. Make me an offer and I'll let you go," Niko laughed gleefully. Blossomfang realized the whole meeting had been a trap. The small dusky she cat who had guided them into the loft looked appalled.

"Niko you said you just wanted to talk to them, if I had know..." Astrid said more to herself than her leader.

"Astrid stay back," another she cat cautioned. She had the same wiry frame and brown coat as Astrid, Blossomfang guessed it was her mother. Blossomfang scanned the sea of hostile faces and eventually her gaze landed on a cat she recognized as Cookie. Cookie had first explained to her Niko and Shane's relationship and how the sides of the city worked. Cookie had by now clearly figured out she was not called Mylph, but the she cat still looked confused about the whole situation taking place.

Fawndapple looked at Blossomfang helplessly. They had nothing to offer to Niko, the only thing they could do was bide their time and wait for a chance to escape.

"My name is Blossomfang of Ashclan, I am a warrior of the forests and cliffs overlooking the sea. I serve and protect my clan under my ancestors watchful eye. I train and hunt and lead a honorable life where I know my clan mates have my back I have theirs," she declared loudly to the onlookers. A few cats looked intrigued, Niko looked bored. Blossomfang lifted her chin higher.

"If you join me now you will be welcomed into Ashclan like kin, if you turn me over to Shane my clanmates will come for you. All of you. And you will regret it with every breath, however few you may have left that is," she threatened. That caught Niko's attention. The cream furred she cat studied the younger warrior with narrowed eyes.

"You're bluffing," she said after a minute, her fangs showing through her smile. Blossomfang returned the smile evenly.

"You saw my dear friend Braveheart didn't you? The dog?" she quipped. A few of Niko's followers looked to their leader in shock as if asking _This cat has dogs working for her?_

"You have one dog, I have a city. Attack!" Niko ordered. Her cats sprang into action without hesitation. Blossomfang and Fawndapple scrambled up a cat perch in panic.

"Over here!" a cat shouted. Blossomfang looked across the room and saw Astrid sitting on an open window ledge. The young she looked as surprised as Blossomfang that she was betraying Niko. But Blossomfang would take any help she could get. She nodded for Fawndapple to go first. The dappled she cat leaped from the perch and sprang onto the window sill with Blossomfang right behind. They had no time to think since Niko's cats were about to pull them back into the room by their tail tips.

Blossomfang closed her eyes and jumped.

...

The two toms tried to find their way out of the South side as quickly as possible, but where there had been no cats before it seemed they couldn't stop running into chatty strangers.

"What are you running from?" a cat said with a slight chuckle and blocked their path. He was a Siamese, large and muscular. But he looked friendly. Foxtooth opened his mouth to tell the cat to get lost but Rabbitleap beat him to the punch.

"We're lost, can you show us the way into the North side?" Rabbitleap said desperately. Every minute they wasted was another minute Blossomfang could be getting captured...or worse. The cats blue eyes darkened warily.

"Is this a trick?" he demanded.

"We don't have time for this, Fawndapple is in danger!" Foxtooth hissed and pushed passed the Siamese.

"Wait," the Siamese said at last and glanced around to make sure no one was watching. "I know a shortcut."

Rabbitleap and Foxtooth followed the cat as he lead them down a network of alley ways to the North and Southern border. As they crossed over into Niko's territory they realized the tom wasn't turning back.

"My name is Charlie," the Siamese said. "Who are you looking for?"

"A light brown she cat named Fawndapple. She has white spots on her back and green eyes," Foxtooth explained quickly. His worry for his mate was evident.

"And a solid white she cat with blue eyes named Blossomfang," Rabbitleap added. Charlie blinked in surprise.

"You mean the she cat that liberated all of Shane's prisoners?"

"The one and only, now we don't have much time - we need to find them!" Rabbitleap urged.

"Hold on, panicking won't help anything. I know a she cat who might be able to help us out. Come with me," Charlie beckoned and moved expertly through Niko's territory. He had clearly been around these parts before, and he din't appear to be a threat.

"My mates name is Halle, although we usually keep that on the down low since I'm not exactly welcomed on the North side. But if Niko is cooking up a plot Halle would be the first to know. She is Bella's sister after all."

"Bella?" Foxtooth murmured in confusion and slight vexation.

"Bella, Niko's sole confident? Wow you must be really new around these parts. Anyways Halle likes to stay out of all that drama but that doesn't stop Bella from telling her everything."

It wasn't long before Charlie located Halle. She was light gray and had large saucer like eyes, but her innocent appearance was diminished by her lethal looking claws. Charlie gave her a rushed explanation.

"Yeah I know what you're taking about. Niko had Astrid lure those two she cats into the warehouse," Halle said with a flippant shrug. Charlie and Halle began heading in the direction of the warehouse with Rabbitleap and Foxtooth following right behind.

...

A row of hedges below the window broke Blossomfangs fall, but the breath was still knocked out of her. Fawndapple appeared unharmed and was already on her feet. Astrid wasn't quite so lucky. One of her front paws was bent at an awkward angle. Blossomfang nudged Astrid to her feet and allowed the small she cat to lean on her shoulder as they moved as quickly as possible away from the warehouse. Blossomfang new the young she cat was slowing them down but she couldn't abandon her after she helped them escape.

"Go ahead and leave me, Niko won't hurt me. Much," Astrid said after a minute. She dropped down onto her side and began nursing her wounded paw.

"You're hurt, and no one cares for wounded in the city. We have a cat who will heal your paw," Blossomfang said and grabbed Astrid by the scruff. Astrid didn't protest again and they continued to flee. But Niko's fela would be right behind.

"Fawndapple!" a voice shouted from behind. Fawndapple spun around and was met with a colliding Foxtooth. He licked his mates cheek affectionately.

"I was so worried!" he said, out of breath. Rabbitleap appeared a second later, wheezing. Shortly after a tom and a she cat jogged around the corner.

"This is Charlie and Halle, they helped us find you," Rabbitleap pointed to the two cats.

"No time, Niko is after us," Blossomfang said. Without a word Charlie lifted Astrid onto his broad shoulders and Halle began leading the way. When they were almost out of the city they were confronted by three she cats. Cookie was one of them.

Foxtooth and Rabbitleap were immediately baring fangs and hissing. The three she cats made no move to attack and Blossomfang brushed the over eager toms aside.

"Cookie, I'm sorry I lied to you, it was just safer at the time-"

Cookie cut her off with a flick of her tail.

"I understand, what I heard about your clan back at the warehouse, well, we want in," Cookie explained, the two cats beside her nodded in affirmation. Blossomfang wanted to trust her but it was risky, especially after everything that took place.

"I can't take you to my camp right now, not until I know where your loyalties lay," Blossomfang said. Cookie nodded in understanding.

"Send Halle to find us when you want to talk and we can designate a meeting place. Now go, Niko isn't far behind."

The small group made it out of the city without being caught. When they finally made it into the three line Blossomfang actually found herself laughing.

"That was close," she snorted and another wave of laughter wracked her body. Fawndapple let out a nervous chuckle as well. The group made their way to the holly bush and plopped down with exhaustion. Rabbitleap pricked his ears as if remembering something.

"Bugs!" he exclaimed.

"We're in the wild, get used to them," Blossomfang jabbed. He shook his head.

"No, we met a cat named Bugs and are supposed to meet him at moon high, he might join Ashclan," Rabbitleap said.

"We are not going back in the city," Foxtooth said with disbelief.

"I'd feel guilty though, we arranged a meeting and if we didn't show that would just be rude," Rabbitleap pointed out.

"Fine, but that cat is crazy I'm telling you now," Foxtooth gave in.

...

Bugs was exactly where they had told him to wait. In fact it looked as if he hadn't moved at all since their encounter. When he saw Foxtooth and Rabbitleap he jumped to his paws excitedly.

"I almost thought you weren't gonna show!"

"We almost didn't," Foxtooth replied snidely.

"We just came to explain our clan to you, and to see if you wanted to join," Rabbitleap explained.

"But this whole clan thing is more of a trial right now so it might not be a permanent thing," Foxtooth warned. Bugs nodded and Rabbitleap began the lengthy explanation. At the end of it Bugs was smiling widely.

"I'm game, sounds like a real shindig!"

"Right, whatever that means. Now lets go back to the holly bush and get some shut eye," Foxtooth rolled his eyes. Rabbitleap wanted to be happy that they had found another recruit for the clan. He was positive Halle and Charlie would join as well once they new what clan life was all about. But Rabbitleap couldn't be happy because Foxtooth's words were ringing in his ears.

_This clan thing might not be permanent. _Rabbitleap kept forgetting that in another moons time her might not have a home anymore, he might not even be a warrior. The decision all belonged to Fawndapple and Foxtooth, and he could only hope they wouldn't turn Ashclan away.


	22. Chapter 22

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Four: The Newcomers**

"I know we are still strangers but I have a favor to ask of you," Blossomfang stated. Halle looked at her with unblinking eyes. "Cookie said to send you to contact her so we could arrange a meeting."

"It could be a trap," Halle said simply but she didn't look at all worried. "Whatever I'll do it, but you owe me one."

With a wave of her gray tail she beckoned Charlie after her and they moved down the grassy slope into the thick of the city. Blossomfang let some of her worries ease slightly. If Cookie was actually interested in joining the clan and not betraying them to Niko then Ashclan's numbers just increased. But she couldn't rule out the risks either. How would she know if she could trust Cookie and her companions?

Perhaps it wasn't her decision to make.

"Fawndapple, Foxtooth, you remember the gray tabby she cat and her two friends? Halle is going to find them right now and then we'll meet to see if they can be trusted. Since Ashclan is your home it should be your decision."

"Astrid probably knows them better than us and can judge their character." Foxtooth said, his green eyes calculating. Fawndapple looked thoughtful as well. Astrid was still asleep, completely stretched out with her injured paw cradled in the grass.

"We need to get her to Whisperheart as soon as possible to do something about that paw," Blossomfang said and studied Astrid's forepaw. Hopefully it was nothing more than a bad sprain. But if it was broken the young she cat could be in real trouble. Astrid yawned and her eyes opened slowly. She quirked an eyebrow when she found everyone watching her.

"Astrid do you know a cat called Cookie?" Blossomfang asked, seeing nothing else to say. Astrid rolled her eyes.

"That airhead? She's just a kittypet who likes to think she can live in the big scary city."

"Oh...and what about her two friends, I don't know their names," Blossomfang asked, disappointed. She had thought Cookie seemed friendly the first time they met.

"Icy and Zilla? Yeah the only reason Cookie is paid any attention from Niko is because of her buddies. Zilla latched onto Cookie since she was nice, and Icy isn't much of a talker but she doesn't like dead air either so a chatterbox like that is her go to I guess," Astrid remarked dryly.

"Are any of them close with Niko?" Blossomfang pressed.

"Um, well, you know Bella?"

"Yeah, Halle's sister. Halle said Bella is Niko's main confident - although Halle isn't involved with the city gangs. At least I think."

"Well Icy is Bella's kit," Astrid said point blank. Blossomfang let out a long sigh.

"So then we can't trust them."

"I didn't say that either. Halle isn't close to Bella, like at all. Halle wants nothing to do with Niko and Shane's war since it prevents her from spending more time with Charlie. Icy is the same way, she doesn't like the city. She's never been close to Bella. In fact no-one but Niko is close to Bella."

Blossomfang had no more questions for Astrid and let her keep resting. Foxtooth and Fawndapple weren't asleep but they were laying in the sun with eyes closed and clearly didn't want to be pestered with questions. Rabbitleap was off hunting somewhere, so that left Bugs. He was looking down at the city, almost forlorn.

"Once I might have missed it," was all he said.

"So Rabbitleap told me you lived in the city before Shane or Niko were even born," she commented.

"Yeah, it was a lot different back then. Can't say it was better either."

"Cookie said they had a litter of four kits together. When they split Niko took the she cats and Shane took the toms. What ever became of the kits?"

"No-one really knows. I think the kits were the reason they split up, ya know different ideals on raising them. It was amazing how quickly Shane and Niko each came to power in the city. I think once the kits were old enough they got sick of their parents feud and left the city. They could be anywhere in the world by now," Bugs murmured. He was an odd cat but Blossomfang saw something in his eyes, a sort of wisdom that could only be achieved through age. She wanted to know more about him but didn't want to pry by asking if he had a mate or kits.

It wasn't long before Halle and Charlie reappeared at the holly bush with Cookie, Zilla, and Icy. Cookie was the friendliest of the few, everything about her was approachable from her fluffy gray tabby fur to her large golden eyes. Zilla was mottled gray with white paws and pale yellow green eyes. Icy looked nothing like Bella. Bella was dark gray and dangerous. Icy still had hints of kit fluff on her stark white coat. Her eyes were small and narrowed but brilliant green.

"What are you staring at?" Icy demanded abrasively. Blossomfang was taken aback by the smaller cats tone. "Sorry I didn't mean to be rude," Icy apologized immediately, she was almost as weird as Bugs. Her green eyes were chillingly cold and Blossomfang suddenly saw the resemblance between her and her mother. Hopefully they didn't share the same morals.

"None of you are being forced into joining Ashclan, we are just meeting so I can explain clan life to you and perhaps you'll decide to join. But know that Foxtooth and Fawndapple reserve the right to turn you away in less than a moons time," Blossomfang started the meeting. Charlie and Halle were sitting next to each other and watching Blossomfang with rapt attention. Cookie was settled in between Zilla and Icy, the trio all moderately listening to her words. Astrid was awake again and grooming her chest fur but keeping an eye on the group at the same time. Bugs was off to the side, twitching his ears with every word.

It took a long time for Blossomfang to cover the history of the clans all the way up to the new Ashclan's formation. She only mentioned a few things about her deal with Fawndapple and Foxtooth, she didn't really want to discuss the possibility everything they've done could be for nothing. Rabbitleap helped throw out a few tidbits of information like border patrols and training. At the end of the speech it was ahrd to tell who was interested and who wasn't. Everyone carried themselves with the same cool calculation.

"I'll give it a shot," Bugs spoke first. Astrid let out a noncommittal sound of agreement. Charlie and Halle shared a look but ultimate decided clan life would be better than the city. Cookie smiled broadly and declared she'd love clan life. Zila shrugged and amended to try it out. All that was left was Icy to decide. Some part of Blossomfang wanted her to say no and leave since she was realted to Bella. But Astrid had promised Icy wouldn't betray them, nor would Halle.

"You mentioned the different clan roles. Kit to apprentice to warrior," Icy murmured.

"Yes, but there are other paths as well. If your aspirations are high enough you might become leader someday even. Or the leader's deputy," Blossomfang said.

"And medicine cat?" Icy continued.

"Whisperheart is our medicine cat right now since he's the only one with any knowledge of herbs. But he is older and will need an apprentice."

"I want to be a medicine cat," Icy decided and gave a final nod of her head like it settled the matter. While Blossomfang did want an apprentice her older friend she didn't know if Icy was the right fit.

"Starclan, our warrior ancestors, need to approve the position..."Blossomfang trailed off. It wasn't exactly untrue, although Whisperheart never needed approval. Icy rolled her eyes.

"Well how do we talk to these 'ancestors' of yours?" she said skeptically.

"They visit me in dreams sometimes, but you don't have that connection yet. One of the things I need to do is find the meeting place with Starclan so everyone can speak with them," Blossomfang admitted. "But for the time being it wouldn't hurt if you trained with Whisperheart."

Icy looked triumphant. It seemed everything worked out and Blossomfang lead the charge as they made their way deep into the forest and headed for Ashclan.

_Please don't let this be a mistake,_ she thought to herself. She hoped none of these cats would sell her clan out to the city bosses, but she had no guarantee. Hopefully her father or Ashstar would send her a sign so she'd know if she was doing the right thing. Blossomfang watched the sun dip beyond the horizon and the moon drifted into the sky. Using the glow of the moon they reached the Ashclan camp not long after night had fallen. Braveheart's head appeared in one of the broken windows. He barked something to the others and soon the whole clan was rushing outside to meet the newcomers.

"Blossomfang!" Shiverspots exclaimed. Blossomfang looked over at her friends stunned expression. "Did you recruit the whole city?"

The group let out a laugh and Blossomfang stepped back so everyone could introduce themselves.

"Everyone should get some rest, we can discuss your apprenticeships in the morning. Pebblepaw show everyone to their dens," she instructed. As things started to settle down Blossomfang caught the attention of her deputy Braveheart.

"Keep an eye on the newcomers, make sure no one sneaks out in the night," she whispered. Braveheart gave a nod before sitting at the camp opening to keep watch.

"How was everything?" Flintmask asked as he located the white furred warrior.

"Fine, we ran into trouble at one point with Niko but everything worked out," Blossomfang promised.

"Pebblepaw, Tansypaw, and Dovepaw are eager for warrior names, although they are only 7 moons old. Maybe we should appoint them specific mentors?," he suggested. Blossomfang nodded, she liked the idea of clan routine settling in. Flintmask entered the warrior den and Blossomfang followed behind him. As Blossomfang entered the warrior den she was amazed the the darkness the enveloped her.

_"You can't run from the shadows," _an ominous voice hissed in her ear. She spun around wildly but everywhere she turned she was greeted with darkness. That one phrase bounced off the walls and echoed around her. The vision cleared and her eyes made out the shape of her nest. She plopped down with exhaustion but could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

Ashstar has sent her the sign she needed, if only she could decipher it.


	23. Chapter 23

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Four: The Newcomers**

Blossomfang decided against giving the newcomers apprentice names. There was no point in naming them when they might not want to stay with the clan, or if Fawndapple and Foxtooth decided they didn't want to be a clan. But she took Flintmask's suggestion to heart and decided everyone should be appointed specific mentor. While everyone still had a lot to learn about the warrior code the senior warriors could help the newcomers adjust. Plus Pebblepaw, Tansypaw, and Dovepaw got into no end of trouble unless they had a warrior breathing down their necks.

"Everyone gather for a clan meeting!" Blossomfang announced. Heads popped out of dens as they wondered what was going on. "It's time for the apprentices and the newcomers to receive a mentor who will answer your questions and assist you in training. Since we are still small in numbers a mentor might have to train two apprentices."

Fawndapple's kits looked excited as they glanced around, wondering who would mentor them. Blossomfang knew there was only three cats who could keep up with them.

"Shiverspots please step forward," Blossomfang started with her white and orange friend. "You are calm and patient and have shown immense progress this past moon. It is your duty to train Tansypaw to become the best she can."

Shiverspots turned to Tansypaw and they touched noses. Shiverspots whispered something in the apprentices ear and she giggled before they stepped off the the side so Tansypaw's sisters could find out who their mentors would be.

"Rabbitleap please step forward. You are one of the most loyal cats Ashclan has and I hope you pass on your encouragement and wisdom to Dovepaw," she said to the black and white tom. He touched noses with his new apprentice and joined Shiverspots and Tansypaw on the sidelines. Pebblepaw looked around the clan eagerly, wondering who would mentor her.

"Flintmask please step forward. You are one of our most skilled hunters and fighters and I know you'll train Pebblepaw with the passion you serve Ashclan with."

Flintmask looked surprised to be given an apprentice. He touched noses with Pebblepaw and the clan cheered. Blossomfang held up her tail for silence.

"We have many newcomers among us as well who are curious about our way of life. It is the clan's duty to make them feel at home and educate them about our ways. But they as well will receive mentors. Whisperheart will mentor Icy since she aspires to be a medicine cat. Foxtooth will mentor Charlie and Fawndapple will mentor Halle. Rabbitleap will also mentor Cookie and Flintmask will also mentor Zilla. Shiverspots will mentor Astrid once her sprain has healed. And Braveheart will mentor Bugs. Meeting adjourned," Blossomfang instructed.

While the city cats mingled with their mentors Blossomfang slipped back inside the warrior den, needing a moment to herself.

_You can't run from the shadows? __What does that mean? _she thought desperately. Obviously Ashstar was trying to tell her something, to warn her of a threat. But she didn't have a clue what that meant. Her father had stopped visiting her dreams, she understood her training from him was over. She just wished she still had such an easy connection to Starclan so they could guide her pawsteps.

But she was the only leader Ashclan had, and she couldn't count on Starclan to protect them from every obstacle they faced. If she wanted their advice she'd have to do it the only way she new how, by finding their meeting place. Back in Ravenclan there had been a cave of glow worms. She'd never seen it with her own eyes but she'd heard of it from her clan mates. Although they never shared the dreams they shared in the cave.

Ashclan had to have its own meeting place, and she had neglected to find it. With this new foreboding omen Blossomfang had no more time to waste with border patrols and hunting parties, she and she alone would need to find Ashclan's connection to their ancestors. While her clan mates carried about their duties she would look for something without even knowing what she was looking for.

"Whisperheart, can I speak to you?" Blossomfang said, emerging from the warrior den. Whisperheart nodded and guided her outside of the camp.

"You said you could read the signs of the stars, how?" she asked hopefully. Whisperheart gave a small shake of his head.

"I can't teach you, and I can't just read the signs - the signs talk to me," he explained, although Blossomfang still didn't understand the gift he possessed.

"Have the signs spoken to you recently?"

"I know what you are seeking, the sparkling stream. I've seen in the night sky a river in darkness that glimmers with starlight. I believe this is what you are looking for," Whisperheart said knowingly. Blossomfang's hopes elevated. Now she at least new she was looking for water. But Whisperheart didn't know where the stream was, but it was a start. Without another word Blossomfang took off into the forest with one goal in her mind.

Aftera few minutes of blind running she stopped the catch her breath. As she looked up she saw a cat in the distance, sitting stoically. The cat was cloaked in shadow, Blossomfang blinked and the mirage was gone.

"Great, now I'm hallucinating," she grumbled to herself. "Just what I need."

Blossomfang new water headed downstream towards the ocean, meaning the sparkling stream could quite possibly run over the cliffs into the sea. She found her way to the cliffs edge, the black rock high above the lapping waves. She walked until her paws ached and saw no sign of a stream or river. The sun was already starting to fall and she hurried back to the twoleg nest where camp lay.

She saw the clan sharing tongues as she entered, her heart warmed at how much everyone seemed to belong. Even Bugs fit in, although he was still a bit odd. Icy was sorting herbs like her paws were on fire with Whisperheart nodding approvingly over her shoulder.

Cookie joked with Rabbitleap and Shiverspots managed Astrid. The surly brown she cat looked put out over not being able to train yet because of her paw, but Whisperheart promised a fast recovery. Blossomfang's gaze landed on Flintmask, he was chatting with Zilla, his second apprentice. Zilla was poking him with her tail playfully as they talked. Blossomfang felt uncomfortable staring and quickly looked away.

She found Fawndapple and Foxtooth talking to Charlie and Halle about city life. Blossomfang slipped into their group and nodded along as they spoke, but she kept one eye on Flintmask and Zilla the whole time.

Suddenly there was a commotion in the medicine cat den.

"Remember Burdock root and Comfrey root are different things and you don't want to get them mixed up. Sort them into two piles," Whisperheart instructed.

"But they look the exact same!" Icy retorted, fur bristling. Whisperheart seemingly had endless patience for her erratic behavior.

"While they are the same color Comfrey root in much longer and spindly while Burdock root is thicker. You can do this," he explained. Icy closed her eyes for a second before opening them again, much calmer. Without another word she set the work with calm precision. Blossomfang didn't know what to think of Icy yet, she was a raging spitball one second and then as calm as her namesake the next.

Slowly the attention drifted away from the medicine cat and his apprentice and back to individual conversations. Blossomfang was about to head into the warrior den to sleep when Flintmask said something to Zilla that caught her attention. Zilla had been asking about how they had found this place in the middle of nowhere.

"We were jut walking really. We stumbled across this secluded beach before the cliffs start, full of mangrove trees. It mostly disappears with high tide though. We kept moving and found our way up the cliffs and by chance stumbled across Fawndapple and Foxtooth," Flintmask explained. Blossomfang had almost entirely forgotten about the mangroves, they never ended up being useful and so she pushed them to the back of her mind. But now...

It was too late at night to go off exploring again, she'd have to wait until tomorrow morning. Blossomfang stepped out of camp to catch her breath. The mangroves could be exactly what she was looking for, or another dead end. Her blue eyes searched the sky until they found the moon rising opposite of where the sun was setting. It was a half moon waxing. Only 8 days until the full moon.

Blossomfang new in her heart the only guarantee Foxtooth and Fawndapple would decide once and for all to found the new Ashclan was if they could speak to their ancestors. She could only hope that the mangroves held the sparkling stream Whisperheart had spoken of.

...

Braveheart woke up the newcomers to take them on their first dawn patrol. Blossomfang decided to accompany the patrol as well. She needed to get to know the city cats better before she ran off to the mangrove forest. She needed to know Ashclan wasn't in danger if she left them un-watched.

"Our territory runs in a half circle around the cliffs edge. The markers are by obvious objects, go ahead and refresh them," Braveheart instructed. Cookie went at the first marker, but soon enough each cat got a turn to mark the border.

"What happens if we stumble across a rouge?" Halle asked.

"Good question. First you explain this territory has been claimed and politely ask them to leave. If they refuse make sure you have backup and drive them away. It's a rule of teh warrior code to protect your territory from intruders," Blossomfang explained. Halle nodded and the group continued walking.

"So Zilla, tell us more about yourself?" Blossomfang asked, or pried really. She wanted to know more about the mottled gray she cat.

"Please, call me Echo," Zilla stated. Blossomfang flicked her ears in confusion.

"Echo? What's wrong with the name Zilla?" she murmured. Zilla smirked, her eyes glimmering.

"That's my real name. Say if the patrol is done how about we head back to camp, I'm famished."

She left no room for debate and turned the patrol around to head back to camp. Blossomfang was bewildered by what just transpired. Charlie and Halle exchanged shrugs and Cookie was looking at her friend with worry.

"Zilla you're acting funny," Cookie frowned, her golden eyes imploring. Zilla...Echo, brushed it off with a shrug.

"Are you sure it's not all that catnip fogging up your brain?" she remarked rudely. Cookie's jaw literally dropped as she stopped in her tracks. Her eyes narrowed and she stomped the whole way back to camp with a sour pout. As they emerged inside the abandoned twoleg nest Astrid perked up and asked how the patrol went.

"Fine...I guess," Blossomfang answered uneasily.

"My ankle is getting better, look! Icy and Whisperheart made the swelling go down," Astrid explained and held out her fore paw. Blossomfang was pleased to find it did look a lot better. "Soon I'll be back to fighting and hunting in no time!" she flexed her claws and kneaded the soil in anticipation.

"Say Astrid, why don't you get Whisper to come out and tell us how long until you can train?" Zilla asked with a strange smile.

"Um...okay. By Whisper did you mean Whisperheart?" Astrid asked.

"Yes, slip of the tongue," she said. Astrid disappeared inside of the medicine cat den and a second later the older cat came out.

"Hi Whisperheart," Zilla crowed. Whisperheart looked around as if asking what was going on. Blossomfang gave him a look saying she had no clue.

"Hi Zilla?" he responded and nodded at the she cat.

"Oh, I suppose you haven't heard. I go by Echo now," she explained and let out a shrill laugh. While Blossomfang was confused she didn't think much of the name change. Each to their own, right? But the look on Whisperheart's face made her think otherwise. His gray eyes were as wide as saucers and he looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"Icy, help Astrid go through her exercises. I need a minute alone. No one follow me," he said quickly and fled from camp like his tail was on fire. The other cats were just starting to wake up, they had been sleeping in since they didn't have to go on the dawn patrol. Flintmask poked his head out of the den and yawned.

"What's going on?" he said sleepily. Echo ran her tail up his flank and Blossomfang bristled.

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

* * *

**A. What do you think the omen means?**

**B. Favorite city cat vs least favorite city cat**

**C. What could be going on with Zilla?**


	24. Chapter 24

** Blossompaw's Escape**

**Part Four: The Newcomers**

She told Braveheart where she was going as she left just before dawn. Braveheart nodded and wished her luck on her quest. Blossomfang headed immediately towards the cliff line, wasting no time with hunting even though her belly rumbled with hunger pains. She couldn't help but let her mind wander as she began the long walk to the mangrove forest.

Ashclan had come so far in only a moon and a halves time. And while she had made enemies of the city bosses as long as she stayed out of their way they wouldn't squabble over borders. The cats were training hard and eager to learn about the warrior code. There was only one thing holding Foxtooth and Fawndapple back from declaring Ashclan officially. And that was the fact they didn't believe in their warrior ancestors. No-one did for that matter, except maybe Whisperheart.

Blossomfang came into line of sight of the cliffs. She glanced over the edge and the daunting and frothy waters below. If you fell in you wouldn't be getting back out. That was the risk with the mangroves, since they were on a secluded beach that could only be reached by a narrow cliff path it was extremely dangerous. Not to mention high tide might completely submerge the whole area. Blossomfang hoped the Sparkling Stream would be safe to reach.

Her ears pricked as she heard a squirrel chattering. She looked back towards the trees and saw the unsuspecting prey nibbling on fallen seeds. Her belly growled again and the prey was too tempting to resist. She dropped into the hunters crouch like Flintmask had showed her and crept forward. Just as she was starting to sprin and voice shouted, "watch out!"

Blossomfang collided head on with another she cat. She went reeling from the force of the impact and the squirrel nimbly climbed a tree. She looked after the forest creature with longing before turning her attention back to the stranger.

"Sorry bout that, didn't think anyone else was around these parts," the she cat chuckled and licked her disheveled fur. Blossomfang was struck by the cats appearance, her coat was white and short and she had wide blue eyes like hers. She was much bigger than Blossomfang though, her long legs showed well defined muscles.

"I didn't think anyone was around here either. My name is Blossomfang," she introduced herself.

"I don't really have a name," she shrugged. "My friend Aspen calls me Frost when I give her attitude."

"There are more of you?" Blossomfang asked. That could be a problem for Ashclan if there was another group close by.

"No, it's just the two of us. What brings you around these parts, most stick close to the city?"

"Oh um, I live with a group of cats called Ashclan," Blossomfang said. She looked over Frost's shoulder a bit impatiently. She wanted to reach the mangroves as soon as possible.

"A clan? That's new. I only thought cats worked together in gangs like in the city. That's why I left with Aspen, too much drama," Frost laughed to herself.

"Right well I best be going," Blossomfang ended the conversation and pushed past the white she cat. Frost didn't seem begrudged by Blossomfang's hasty exit. She called out a goodbye and trotted off into the foliage of the forest.

Not long after that Blossomfang found the steep path that led to the beach of mangroves. She precariously climbed down it. As long as she kept her eyes glued to her paws she felt secure enough to not slip. But the descent would be a bit reckless for elders like Bugs and Whsiperheart. She wasn't sure Braveheart would even be able to fit on the path. If the Sparkling Stream was somewhere down there she'd need to find another route which was easier to access.

Her front paws met sand and the tangy smell of salt flooded her nostrils. The long roots of the mangrove trees made navigating the beach harder. But she managed to explore various crevasses and shallow caves worn into the cliff wall. There were no streams, not even a puddle. It was another dead end. Blossomfang let out a growl of frustration and climbed up the path back onto higher grounds. She was back to square one. It would be so much easier if Starclan just showed her were they wanted her to go. She had been spoiled with her easy connection to Ashstar and her father, now they were making things a little more difficult.

As she headed back to camp she stumbled upon Frost once more. This time however Frost was accompanied by a spotted Bengal, Aspen presumably.

"Oh good you're here! We've been waiting for hours!" Frost chuckled and greeted Blossomfang warmly.

"But why?" she asked in confusion, why would a stranger wait for her for hours?

"Well I told Aspen about meeting you, she recognized your name!" Frost exclaimed. Blossomfang was on guard immediatley.

"You heard about me from the city?" she demanded warily. Both cats looked confused.

"No, Aspen recognized your name as one of a warriors!"

Now it was Blossomfangs turn to be confused.

"I don't understand," she said at last and waited for Frost to elaborate.

"Aspen never told me before because it wasn't really important. She used to live near a gorge, there was a Sky group or whatever that lived there and called themselves warriors and had names like yours. The cats were really territorial and so Aspen left the gorge and wound up here!"

Blossomfang had never heard of the clan Frost spoke of, but none the less it was a clan.

"That still doesn't explain why you were waiting for me," she pressed. This time it was Aspen who spoke.

"Life in the city was hard, and life in the forest is harder. But living with a big group like a clan has benefits. Frost and I want to join, if that's possible," Aspen said simply.

"Oh, well that's great! You'll be great additions to Ashclan I'm sure. Once you are trained of course. But before you can join two cats need to approve you. You see we are kind of living on their territory."

Blossomfang guided the two she cats back towards Ashclan's camp. But before she showed them where the blue twoleg nest was she told them to stay put and she'd be back in a minute. She was grabbing Cookie to come identify them so she could make sure they weren't spies for Niko. Frost and Aspen waited at the base of an Oak tree while Blossomfang darted back to camp. Luckily Cookie wasn't on the dusk patrol and went with Blossomfang. Fawndapple and Foxtooth were out hunting so they'd have to wait until they got back before the two she cats could be accepted. Blossomfang was positive that wouldn't be an issue since everyone else had been approved.

"What are you names?" Cookie asked, all business as they found Frost and Aspen by the oak tree. She was taking her role as identifier very seriously.

"I'm Aspen, my friend here goes by Frost occasionally," Aspen introduced. Cookie looked thoughtful, she circled them and sniffed her nose. Turning back to Blossomfang she spoke.

"I've never seen of heard of them before in my life honestly. Either way that means they aren't a part of Niko's inner circle," Cookie affirmed.

"In that case, welcome to Ashclan!"

* * *

Fawndapple and Foxtooth approved the new additions to the clan when they returned from hunting. Braveheart explained the training progression they would go through as apprentices until they received warrior names. Since the senior warriors already had an apprentice or two, Blossomfang decided Bravheart could take on Aspen as well as Bugs and she herself would train Frost.

But her escapade to the mangroves had accomplished nothing. She desperately needed to find a meeting place with Starclan. It was the only way the clan would accept their ancestors, and it was the only way they could stay a clan when the two months ran out. And the days seemed to be passing by faster and faster with every second wasted. Blossomfang was suddenly afraid her mission would fail. Fawndapple and Foxtooth would send everyone away and live in solitude. The clan would break apart, with everyone taking their former names again and scattering to become rogues or going back to the city. Braveheart might go back to the group of animals that escaped from the testing facility. Rabbitleap would probably join him. But Blossomfang could never go back, not after she left them.

In fact Blossomfang would have nowhere to go. Everyone else had a home or a life to return to. She had the distant memory of Ravenclan that still lingered, but it was no longer home. _This _was home.

Suddenly disheartened she walked into camp with her head low. No-one seemed to notice her sour mood, they were too busy getting to know the newest additions to the clan. The senior warriors were sitting in a circle, joking with their apprentices. Flintmask was sitting next to Zilla, Or Echo as she now called herself. Cookie still wasn't talking to her friend after their spat, and Whisperheart was acting like he'd seen a ghost. Apparently Blossomfang wasn't the only one feeling off.

She retired to the warriors den for some rest. Then she would go out again into the forest. She curled up in her moss nest but sleep wouldn't find her. Her white tail twitched as she contemplated where she would search next for the Sparkling Stream. A head poked into the entrance of the den.

"Oh, hi Echo," Blossomfang greeted when she recognized the she cats gray markings.

"You haven't been around camp much, still looking for your dearly departed?" she said with a twitch of her whiskers.

"If you mean looking for a meeting place with Starclan then yes," she replied stiffly. There was unabashed amusement in Zilla's gaze. It was irritating the white furred warrior.

"Why did you change your name anyway? You're acting nothing like when I met you," she said with a hint of annoyance in the back of her throat.

"Ask my brother," she snorted in reply.

"Brother?" Blossomfang asked in confusion. Since when did Zilla have a brother.

"Never mind, I was just pulling your tail," she corrected herself quickly.

"Right," Blossomfang said disbelievingly. _Had Zilla lost her mind? _

"Despite you Starclan delusions this is a pretty nice setup. A secluded forest with a safe distance from the city, a cherry orchard brimming with prey, and a group of loyal cats...and dog," she murmured to herself. "Too bad there's some self righteous she cat pretending to be a leader."

"Excuse me?" Blossomfang said, bristling. Echo had just crossed the line. Echo suddenly leaned in close to Blossomfang, their faces mere inches apart.

"Stay away from Flintmask," she warned. It took all of Blossomfangs willpower to not swat the she cats face.

"Why should I?" she challenged. Echo sat back with a smug look.

"He doesn't like you, he told me so. Sure he thinks of you as a friend, but nothing more. And there will never be anything more."

With that Echo left the warriors den, leaving a stunned Blossomfang in her wake. What she had said about Flintmask had stung more than it should have. He had told Echo he didn't like Blossomfang?

She realized now that if she told anyone what Echo had just said to her no-one would believe her. It would sound like she was overly jealous of a cat to whom she had no claim. Maybe that was the point of the whole conversation, to get a rise out of Blossomfang so she'd make a fool out of herself. Echo had just admitted she didn't want Blossomfang as a leader, and had practically threatened her. But how could she kick Echo out of the clan?

She couldn't was the answer. Echo had just won Flintmask and had ensured there was nothing Blossomfang could do about it. Blossomfang simply had to pretend she didn't care about Flintmask one way or the other and prove to the whole clan Starclan did exist. Easier said than done.

* * *

**A. Is Zilla/Echo cookoo for Cocoa puffs?!**

**B. Does it appear out white furred feline has not so subtle feelings for Flintmask?**

**C. Thoughts on the Sparkling Stream?**


End file.
